The Lecherous Mr Collins
by Makena'lei
Summary: "Elizabeth, I will not tolerate such impertinent remarks from my betrothed" Collins snapped.She was shocked at his sudden change in demeanor.They were further on the path to Netherfield then she imagined.Here in the forest, the path was thin.He was blocking her way back. He got closer. "You have no connections, no dowry worth taking, and an estate entailed to me, you have no choice
1. Mr Collins Proposes

Chapter 1- Mr. Collins Proposes- Edited

Elizabeth had awoken quite late the morning after the Netherfield ball. As such, the family was already assembled in the dining room when she entered, blinking sleep from her eyes. She had opted to wear a simple pale green morning dress, with her hair lightly braided down her back. The maid, Abigail, had certainly done intricate enough work last night to last the week.

"Good morning" She murmured as she slipped into her seat.

"Ah, my dear Lizzy, late to rise this morning I see" Mr. Bennet commented fondly from his seat at the head of the table. Lizzy smiled at her father, before finally breaking her fast. A few minutes later, after Mr. Bennet and Lizzy had discussed his reading for the afternoon, Mr. Bennet left the table to his wife, children, and ridiculous nephew. Conversation came to a halt after that. Even Jane was too tired to speak.

After several terse minutes of silence, Mr. Collins finally spoke.

"May I hope, Madam, for your interest with your beautiful daughter Elizabeth, when I solicit for the honor of a private audience with her?''

Lizzy nearly dropped her teacup in surprise; he was not serious was he? The only reason for him to suggest a private audience would be, no, that was not possible, Lizzy thought.

"Oh dear! - Yes - certainly. - I am sure Lizzy will be very happy - I am sure she can have no objection. - Come, girls, upstairs, let Mr. Collins and Lizzy speak" Mrs. Bennet stated loudly, hustling the girls one by one out of their chairs. In vain, Lizzy held on to Jane's hand, but Mrs. Bennet easily separated the two. Lizzy, as a last effort, called out in vain to her mother.

"Mama, do not go. - I beg you will not go. - Mr. Collins must excuse me. - He can have nothing to say to me that any body need not hear. I am going away myself. I am most interested in walking this morning'' She begged.

"Ah, yes, I walk" Mr. Collins said with a smile. "We shall speak outside in the beautiful weather that the good lord has provided for us today, shall we?" He offered her his hand.

"I must insist on going alone. I always find walking in solitude much more conducive to ones well being" Lizzy stated quickly, spurting whatever she could think of.

"No, no, nonsense, Lizzy.'' Mrs. Bennet proclaimed. "The garden's look marvelous at this time of morning. Kitty, fetch her shawl from the closet"

To her credit, Kitty moved quicker then she ever had before. She was back in a moment with Lizzy's favorite dark green shawl and a bonnet. Mrs. Bennet quickly wrapped the shawl about her shoulders, tied the bonnet loosely in a bow, and then swatted her daughter and Mr. Collins out the door.

"Now, show him the marvelous roses and wildflowers, Lizzy, I insist" Mrs. Bennet called from the door.

Lizzy supposed it would be best to just get it over with. She walked quickly, so that Mr. Collins had to struggle to keep up. At least she reached a spot within distance of Longbourn, but far enough away that her mother would not be able to see them.

"My dear, beautiful, Elizabeth,"

"Mr. Collins, I have not given you such liberties as to call me by my given name" She scolded him. He simply smiled his idiotic grin and continued.

"My dear, your modesty, so far from doing you any disservice, rather adds to your other perfections. You would have been less amiable in my eyes had there not been this little unwillingness; but allow me to assure you that I have your respected mother's permission for this address. You can hardly doubt the purport of my discourse, however your natural delicacy may lead you to dissemble; my attentions have been too marked to be mistaken. Almost as soon as I entered the house I singled you out as the companion of my future life. But before I am run away with by my feeling, my feelings on this subject, perhaps it will be advisable for me to state my reasons for marrying - and moreover for coming into Hertfordshire with the design of selecting a wife, as I certainly did.''

The very essence of this speech made Lizzy so close to tears of laughter, that she completely missed his pause, and in turn, her chance to speak. She was startled when he started prattling on again.

"My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances, like myself, to set the example of matrimony in his parish. Secondly, that I am convinced it will add very greatly to my happiness; and thirdly - which perhaps I ought to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honor of calling patroness. Twice has she condescended to give me her unasked opinion on this subject, which is quite an honor, let it be said. But the very Saturday night before I left Hunsford, she tells me "Mr. Collins, you must marry. A clergyman like you must marry. You must choose properly, choose a gentlewoman for _my_ sake; and for your _own_, let her be an active, useful sort of person, not brought up high, but able to make a small income go a good way. This is my advice. Find such a woman as soon as you can, bring her to Hunsford, and I will visit her." At this point he went on to describe all the accomplishments and talents of this Lady Catherine, in great detail.

"Mr. Collins-" She tried to interrupt, but the man was incorrigible.

"Ah, but the fact is, that being, as I am, to inherit this estate after the death of your honored father, who is getting along in his years,"

"Mr. Collins-"

"I could not satisfy myself without resolving to chose a wife from among his daughters, that the loss to them might be as little as possible, when the melancholy event takes place - which, however, as I have already said, may be quite soon. This has been my motive, my fair cousin, and I flatter myself it will not sink me in your esteem. And now nothing remains for me but to assure you in the most animated language of the violence of my affection. To fortune I am perfectly indifferent, and shall make no demand of that nature on your father, since I am well aware that it could not be complied with; and that one thousand pounds in the 4 percent, which will not be yours till after your mother's decease, is all that you may ever be entitled to. On that head, therefore, I shall be uniformly silent; and you may assure yourself that no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married.''

It was absolutely necessary to interrupt him now.

"Mr. Collins!" She all but screamed at the idiotic parson. He quirked his brow and looked to her in confusion. "You are too hasty, Sir,'' she cried. "You forget that I have made no answer. Let me do it without delay, I decline you proposal, most adamantly"

"Ah, my esteemed patroness Lady de Bourgh has let me in on that little secret my dear. I know that it is usual amongst ladies to reject the addresses of a man whom they most ardently admire, and wish to accept. I believe it is to secure that man's affection. I shall not be discouraged by what you have said. I know that you admire me as much as I admire you Elizabeth"

"Mr. Collins, I assure you, I am not one of those ladies. I certain that you are the last man in the world to make me happy" In her annoyed state, she had started to walk away from the little man, hoping to put some space between them.

"Elizabeth, I will not tolerate such impertinent remarks from my betrothed" Mr. Collins snapped. Lizzy was shocked in silence at his sudden change in demeanor. They were further on the path to Netherfield then she imagined. Her in the forest, the path was narrow. He was blocking her way back. He stepped up closer to her. "You have no connections, no dowry worth taking, and an estate entailed to myself. You have no hopes of another marriage proposal my dear Elizabeth" He spit. "You have no other choice then to marry me, whether you agree to it or not" He grabbed her arm at this point, pulling her forward. She was caught odd balance and fell against him. She nearly gagged as his slimy hands pawed at her shawl. She twisted and turned in his arms, but he used his weight against her.

"One little kiss between two that are to be married is not so bad, now is it Elizabeth?"

"Mr. Collins, I beg you" She fought.

"Stop fidgeting, this is unbecoming of a gentlewoman," He scolded.

"Unhand me then" She retorted. He gripped her face in his palm, and twisted her face to look at him. She refused to meet his eye.

"Such a strong will, I shall enjoy that" He smirked. Lizzy spat in his face. He slapped her, hard. She spun, landing hard on the ground. He looked at her in shock, as if he did not believe what he had done. His expression quickly turned to anger though. She watched as his pudgy face turned purple. She got to her feet quickly and then took off onto the smaller, tree-lined path to her left. He heard him behind her, screaming phrases that would make a sailor blush.

She sprinted through the trees, her shawl and bonnet disappearing in the bracket. She splashed through mud, getting it on her dress and even onto her cheeks. She hastily smeared it off as she ran. She paid no mind to where she was running, just to the fact that she was getting away. Her heart was pounding in her chest, adrenaline pumping through her veins. She could no longer hear Mr. Collins, which made her worry, and yet made her hopeful that he had stopped running.

She heard something, and quickly turned her head to look behind her, before she ran into something solid. She screamed as hands reach out to grip her shoulders. Mr. Collins had found her.


	2. Mr Darcy Goes For a Walk

Fitzwilliam Darcy had never been plagued by his dreams. He was a gentleman, dreams did not haunt him. Until he moved to Netherfield, this was quite true. However, said impregnable man had since been afflicted by dreams of a most serious nature. He found his dreams being haunted by one Elizabeth Bennet. The very same Elizabeth Bennet that he had pronounced barely tolerable weeks before.

Now, that being said, Mr. Darcy was also an early riser. From the time he was a lad, he never slept past sunrise, unless ill. Even now, the day after Netherfield's ball, Mr. Darcy found himself rising with the sun. Charles had held a ball the night before, and as such, the Netherfield party had not been able to retire to their chambers until the last guests, the Bennet's, had left.

As he tied his cravat by himself, as was his habit for days that he need not being so impeccably dressed. Adams, his valet, was an elderly man, who had been employed by the Darcy's longer then Mr. Darcy himself had lived. The man was gouty, and his joints stiffened in the cool air. Mr. Darcy looked at himself in the looking glass, and noted his tired eyes, and the dark circles beneath them.

"Pull it together," He told his reflection before leaving the room, feeling confident that he could shake off the very inappropriate thoughts he was having about Miss. Bennet.

He walked down to the breakfast room, expecting it to be empty, for although it was later then he usually ate, it was still much to early for any of the Bingley family to be awake. To his surprise, and horror, Caroline Bingley was sitting at the breakfast table, nursing a cup of tea. The sight of her in her bright orange frock successfully squashed any leftover ardor he had been feeling from his dreams.

"Ah, good morning Mr. Darcy" She stated as soon as he walked into the room. Her smile was sickly sweet. You could almost see the wheels turning in her head as she plotted her next move.

"Miss Bingley" He nodded. Instead of sitting, and reading the paper, as he usually would do, he instead wrapped a few pastries in a napkin.

"Are you leaving so soon Mr. Darcy?" Caroline asks, clearly disappointed.

"I am afraid that I have neglected Cavallo for far too long. Tell Charles I shall be back by mid-day" He bowed quickly, and exited the room. He now called for his valet, who brought him his riding gear.

"Thank you Adams" He tells the older man, who is almost slouching over the weight of the bundle in his arms.

"It is no problem, Master William. You shall want to bring this too-" He passes the younger man the heavy rain coat. "It looks as if it will storm in a few hours time"

Never has Adams ever been wrong about the weather. He says he can feel it in his joints. Darcy smiles and claps the man on the back in thanks. As he makes his way outside, he tucks his pastries into the coat for later. Perhaps he will explore Oakham Mount today; Sir Lucas has been pestering him about riding there.

His own horse was being housed in the stables with Bingley's collection of Shetland ponies, his two very amorous Arabian horses, and Caroline's pure white mare. When he arrived at the stables, Harry, the groomsman, was rolling in the hay with a litter of puppies. One escaped the pack and eagerly nipped at Darcy's fingers.

"Ah, sorry about Lucy, Mister Darcy" Harry said quickly, brushing himself off. "She's a right ole friendly thing, the runt o the litter," He whistled and the dog trotted back. "Just had a litter a lil over a month ago, mums a springer spaniel, dad was most likely a mutt. Looks just like eh mum though," He told him, picking up the puppy by the scruff of her neck. The puppy whined, but wagged her tail. "Lemme saddle up ole frosty, I'll be done in a nip," The man stated, referring to Darcy's horse that was a little wary of strangers.

While he waited, Darcy entertained himself by playing with the friendly pup from earlier. She was well trained for being so young, and rather cute. He would have to ask Charles about allowing Georgiana to keep her. He knew she, as the runt, would not be used for hunting. Harry came back leading his black stallion, Cavallo. His sister had named the horse when he had first purchased him.

"Here ya are sir" Harry said, passing over the reins. Darcy secured the saddlebag and his heavy coat, before mounting himself. He thanked Harry, before galloping off towards Oakham Mount. He needed the fresh air, to think, to breathe.

About 20 minutes of thinking only of Miss Bennet's fine eyes, he reached the outcropping of trees that surrounded the Mount on all sides. He dropped down from the saddle, tethered Cavallo to the tree, and sat on his great coat. He pulled out his pastries and ate one. As he stared off into the wilderness, he daydreamed.

She was standing above him, smiling down at him. Her eyes were alight with passion, adoration, and joy. She was laughing at something, teasing him perhaps.

"Fitzwilliam" She would whisper, coming closer. She fell to her knees in front of him, hands reaching for his chest, dragging him closer to her. Her breath was warm on his neck as she kissed her way to his lips. A feather light kiss on his brow, to his cheek, to his ear, to his neck. Just as she was about to reach his lips, she vanished.

He shook himself. He must stop thinking about her, and quickly. He was loosing his senses.

He was startled when he heard what appeared to be a scream in the distance. It sounded like a young woman. The gentleman in could not rest until he saw that whomever had screamed was safe. He tethered Cavallo to the tree, and made his way into the brush.

He heard another voice, a male, shouting obscenities. He paled. This whole situation was reminding him too much of his sister.

He moved quicker, crashing through the bracket, tearing his shirt and splashing mud about as he ran. He slowed his pace as he approached what appeared to be a clearing. He heard the patter of footsteps as they raced through a puddle, and snapped many a branch.

In an instant, a blur of brown curls and pale green fabric was crashing against him, almost setting him off balance. He grabbed the young woman's shoulder, and waist, to keep her upright. To his surprise, she screamed as soon as his hands touched her, and starting thrashing madly. He looked down at her in shock.

The screaming young woman was none other then Elizabeth Bennet, the object of his dreams.

"Miss Bennet, Miss Bennet" He called, holding her tight. He took in her tattered dress, her loose hair, and the red marks on her cheek that look very much like a hand. The most telling sign however, was the wild look in her eyes, the unfiltered fear. Her eyes were usually so bright, so lively, that the current terrorized fear was worrisome. What had happened? Who was the man he heard, and why was she running. "Miss Bennet, please calm down, you are safe now," He told her. She seemed to gain her wits again, as she stopped struggling against him.

"Mr. Darcy?" She asked, blinking up at him. "Thank god" She swayed violently on her feet, before collapsing into his arms in a faint.


	3. Mr Darcy Saves the Day

To say that Fitzwilliam Darcy was shocked would be an understatement. He was utterly bewildered as to why Miss Elizabeth Bennett had just collapsed into his arms.

"Thank god," She has whispered before sagging against him. In his haste he almost did not catch her. Now he had her in his arms, a very compromising position indeed. He scooped her up and carried her back to where his horse was. He would not be able to carry her all the way back to Longbourne, nor would he be able to ride with her on the horse if she was not awake. He settled on placing her down upon his great coat and trying to coax her into waking up.

He was startled again by the appearance of her. Her long brown hair was matted with leaves and twigs. Her bonnet was hanging on loosely down her back. The pale green dress she wore was torn and dirty about the hem. Her left cheek was decidedly bruised, while the right was splattered in mud. She looked as if she had been attacked.

"Miss Elizabeth" He shook her shoulder gently. "Miss Elizabeth please wake up"

Her eyes slowly blinked open. He watched as her lively, bright eyes appeared, then quickly widened in fear. She struggled against the hand he had placed upon her shoulder.

'Please, you are safe now Miss Bennett, I will not hurt you" He urged. He attempted to make his voice as calm and gentle as the tone he used for Georgiana. He found it was much simpler to comfort Miss Bennett then he had originally assumed.

"Mr. Darcy?" She all but whispered.

"Are you injured Miss Bennett?" He questioned. She blinked up at him again. She looked as if she was in shock.

"My cheek." She whispered again. She brought a rather tan hand up to her cheek to gently pat at the bruise. "He struck me"

"Struck you?" Mr. Darcy was unable to keep him calm demeanor. He was angered by the knowledge that someone, a man, would strike such an innocent and beautiful woman.

"I spat at him," She told him. Her eyes still held that dazed look. He doubted if she would have ever told him so much if she hadn't been in shock.

"Miss Bennett, please, tell me from the beginning, what happened?" He asked of her.

"I woke up late, too late to walk alone" She murmured. Her eyes finally left his as she picked a twig out of her hair. "It was a glorious morning, was it not?"

"It twas indeed madam" He murmured. "So you awoke late, then what?" He questioned.

"Everyone was already breaking their fast. He requested a private audience." She paused, and met his eyes once again with her own, hollowed ones. "Alone. With him"

"With whom Miss Bennett?"

"I told him I did not wish it. I wanted to walk outside. Mama insisted that he accompany me" Again, she paused. Perhaps she had hit her head?

"Miss Bennett, what happened after that?" He asked.

"We walked too deeply into the path. He cornered me. He proposed"

"Proposed what?"

"Marriage of course" She stated. Her voice was clearer now, her tone angered.

"Miss Bennett, I am correct in understanding that the man who struck you, caused you to run through the forest screaming, petrified, asked for your hand in marriage?" He was getting confused in her story.

"I refused the odious toad!" She spat.

"Mr. Collins?" Darcy asked, just to be sure. He was almost certain he had heard the younger Bennett sisters refer to the parson as a toad.

"Yes" Her anger dissipated at once. Her shoulders slumped and her head fell forward. To her chagrin, tears began falling fast. Here she was, sobbing, in front of Mr. Darcy!

"Here" His voice was surprisingly gentle, yet again. She felt him press a handkerchief into her palm. She hastily dried her tears.

"Miss Bennett, you are shaking. Please, eat this" He passed her what appeared to be a raspberry filled pastry. She took a small bite. It tasted heavenly. She quickly ate the whole thing. He passed her his canteen of water without words. She hesitantly took a sip.

"Thank you" She told him. He nodded, still looking at her. He wished there was something he could do to put a smile back on her face.

"We have to get you back to Longbourne, Miss Bennet," He told her. She swallowed and nodded. He stood and extended his hand. She gratefully accepted and allowed him to pull her to his feet. He wrapped the thick coat around her shoulders. It was heavy on her thin frame. "We will need to ride double, it's going to storm" She looked to the sky. It was dark, the storm clouds already moving in. He helped her onto the saddle, before getting on behind her.

The rain started falling in sheets. They were both drenched within seconds. He rode as quickly as possible; trying to shield her from further scrapes and cuts from the branches of the passing trees.

"Mr. Darcy!" She called suddenly. He pulled the reins, stopping the horse dead in his tracks. A ravine had flooded, barring their path.

"Perhaps we should wait out the storm in the alcove over there, Mr. Darcy. When it rains the ravine around Longbourne swells too. Our path will be blocked again no doubt." Mr. Darcy heard her voice shake as she said Longbourne. He could see the fear in her face; she had been growing tenser as they got closer to her home.

"All will be well Miss Bennett. You are in no way to blame for this" He repeated the words he had told Georgiana months ago, in the hopes that they would bring her some comfort. "However, I believe you are correct. We may ride out the storm in shelter" He jumped off the saddle and led the horse and Miss Bennett to the small cave.

Lizzy was unsure why she was seeking Mr. Darcy to comfort her, or why she felt so much better when he did. Perhaps it was because he was her savior, or perhaps she actually had grown to have feelings for the man.

Cavallo was a gentle horse. He settled in against the far wall of the cave, and closed his eyes. He barely moved as Mr. Darcy and Miss Bennett leaned against him for warmth, and to keep as far away from the rain as possible.

Mr. Darcy was acutely aware of how compromising a situation he was in. If they were discovered, they would be in trouble. They were alone, their wet clothes were clinging scandalously to their bodies, and Miss Bennett's dress was ripped and torn. But he could no bring himself to care at the moment for small tears were leaking from the corner of Miss Bennett's sad eyes.

"Here" He passed her the handkerchief. She hastily wiped her eyes.

"I apologize," She whispered.

"Miss. Bennett you have nothing to apologize for" He assured her.

She smiled faintly, a small spark illuminating her eyes.


	4. Mr Darcy Comforts

Chapter 4

**Thank you all for reviewing!**

**I get that Lizzy's character is OOC, but I'm going to contribute it to Mr. Darcy being the one to "save her" per say. Mr. Darcy as we know is already pretty much in love with her, but he hasn't quite figured it all out yet. As for the grammar, I'm not an English major, I mix up present and past all the time despite how many time I proof read. I apologize for the last chapter, it was a little confusing. From now on the chapters will switch points of view, because the story would be way to long without it. I hope it doesn't get too confusing! Enjoy!**

She watched as he shivered as a wind blew through the caves. They had been stuck sitting in silence for almost an hour.

"Please, take your coat sir" She went to take it off, to hand it back to him, but he stopped her.

"Miss Bennett, please, you are soaked through. Keep it." The same could have been said about him, but she chose not to comment. Her dress was sticking quite scandalously to her figure. She figured she might as well wrap the coat tighter.

"Thank you Mr. Darcy, for everything" She told him. It was quite possibly the 15th time she had thanked him.

"Miss Bennett, I do not need any more gratitude. You have sufficiently thanked me many a time," He told her. It was true; he had no wish for her gratitude. He had the childlike need for her approval instead, for her friendship, for her love. "Now, perhaps you can tell me why you are so nervous to go home." She blushed, he had noticed her distress.

"My mother is prone to hysterics Mr. Darcy surely you have noticed her uncouth behavior. I do not wish to encourage her further. I am in no position to handle her nerves at the moment" She told him.

"I believe you are correct" He was well aware of Mrs. Bennett's indecorous remarks. "However, I am certain it is only because she wishes the best for you and your sisters. She is surely worried about where you are right now" He found himself saying. He was unsure of where that thought had came from, but it seemed to be an epiphany of sorts. He was unclear of where his thoughts where going from there though. She spoke before he could think upon it any longer.

"The estate is entailed to Mr. Collin's." She revealed. He was shocked for a moment, but without any male heirs, an estate would have to be passed to the closest living male. Unfortunately, that happened to be Mr. Collins. " She had hoped that one of her daughters would marry him, to procure a future for the rest of us. He was settled on Jane, but she is already in love with another. She never even noticed Mr. Collin's flatteries. I am thankful that Jane was not subject to his advances; she is much to naïve and sweet. So he settled on me. Mama was so encouraging of the match, she must be hysterical now"

"Miss Jane is in love with another?" Mr. Darcy, unable to help himself. He almost groaned at his lack of decorum. Miss Bennett turned to him and arched a brow.

"Surely you must know. Mr. Bingley is your best friend, is he not?" Ah, Miss Jane loved Charles?

"Are you quite certain?" He asked. Miss Jane seemed to like everyone.

"As certain as the sky is blue. Oh, please, tell me he is sincere is his attention towards her?" Lizzy felt a sense of dread in the pit of her stomach. If Mr. Bingley's best friend didn't know that Jane loved Mr. Bingley, then surely Mr. Bingley didn't know either, or did not care.

"He is very much in love with Miss Jane, however, he is wary of her own emotions, and therefore hides his" Darcy did not mention that it was his idea to let Miss Jane make the first move. "He has been scorned in love too many times"

"They are much too alike" Lizzy smiled. Her lively eyes again unsettled Mr. Darcy. He was happy that he was able to put a smile on her face, however brief. As she stared off into the rain, the smile fell from her face, and a shadow crept across her eyes. Silence fell over the cave.

He took a breath. He could not stand to see this woman in any more pain.

"May I tell you a story Miss Bennett?" He asked. She looked up, intrigue written all over her face. She nodded.

She watched him take a steadying breath.

"I have a younger cousin, a girl of 16 years last month. She has a disposition quite similar to your sister" Elizabeth interrupted.

"I have four sisters Mr. Darcy," She reminded him. He nodded.

"To Miss Jane. She is everything kind and gentle in the world. Under the supervision of a companion, she traveled to Ramsgate over the summer for a vacation. Unbeknownst to her guardian, the companion was in cahoots with an unsavory soldier. Upon arriving at Ramsgate, the companion pushed my younger relative towards the soldier, in hopes of forming a love match. At fifteen years of age, the young girl quickly fancied herself in love with the man, and agreed to elope to Gretna Green."

He stopped to take another deep breath.

"It was pure coincidence that the young girls guardian happened to show up for a surprise visit. Upon seeing her guardian, the secrets of the affair came pouring out. The guardian knew the solider very well, and knew that the solider was not truly in love with the young girl. He confronted the solider the day. Neither man knew that the young girl was watching. The solider taunted the guardian, admitting that he was only pretending to love the young girl to enact vengeance on the guardian, and that he only wanted her dowry."

Another breath, he steeled himself for the last part.

"Later, without the guardian's knowledge, the young girl went to see the solider, thinking that he was lying. The solider lashed out, and struck the young girl. He was halfway in his cups, and the truth came spilling from him. The young girl managed to escape his grip, for he was trying to compromise her, to force a wedding, when the guardian arrived yet again, looking for the girl." He paused there. He was unsure how to continue without revealing that his story was his sister's own unfortunate romance.

"The poor girl" Miss Bennett looked truly sincere. She didn't even know who the girl was, and yet she still felt for her. "What happened after?"

"The young girl was but 15 Miss Bennett. She was emotionally distraught. I tell you this story because I remember seeing the look in her young eyes, the same look that now haunts your own. Miss Bennett, I will tell you what I told her, it is not your fault. It was Mr. Collins, not you. Do not berate yourself for this"

Lizzy was shocked by the conversation she was now having with Mr. Darcy. Clearly he is very close to the young girl of which he speaks.

"While I never fancied myself in love with Mr. Collins, I admit to being distraught at his actions. He is my cousin, and a parson! The way he acted has left me feeling confused. I had judged him to be a silly, pompous, but harmless man. His change in character leaves me feeling vulnerable." She admitted to him.

She was not sure as to why she was telling Mr. Darcy of all people her innermost feeling, but there was something natural about the way they could converse. Perhaps they could be friends now.

"The rain is letting up Miss Bennett, perhaps we should be getting ready to leave" Mr. Darcy suggested.

She looked outside and saw the sun was just barely shining through. She nodded. He stood and offered her his hand. The horse was still tired, so they walked on. They were both aware of what frightful sights they made. Each was covered in mud, scrapes, and wet to the bone.

As Longbourne came into view in the distance, Lizzy's steps grew smaller. Darcy offered her his arm, which she gladly took. Together they crossed the still high ravine, and approached the house. Before they even reached the steps, the door burst open, and several people filed out. Mr. Bennett of course, was in the front, behind him stood Sir Lucas, Mr. Hill, Mr. Collins, and Mr. Henry, the magistrate.

"Elizabeth!" Mr. Bennett called, running forth to embrace his daughter. Lizzy returned his embrace with a small smile. To her chagrin, tears fell from her eyes.

"Papa, why is everyone here?" She asked, confused. Mr. Bennett withdrew from the embrace and glared at Mr. Darcy, who looked confused as well.

"Lizzy, Mr. Collins returned hours ago, without you. He brought with him the magistrate, claiming that someone had kidnapped you in the woods" Mr. Bennett told her.


	5. Mr Bennet is Surprised

**I'm so sorry it has taken so long, and that this chapter is so short! I live in New England on the coast, so power and internet have been going haywire all weekend with the storm! Next chapter will be longer, promise!**

**Thank you all for reviewing! And for pointing out that Bennet has only one T. **

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 5

Mr. Darcy knew something was wrong when he saw all of the men, including the magistrate. Mr. Collins had the audacity to stand with them. He watched as Mr. Bennet embraced his daughter. Words were spoken before Mr. Bennet broke away and glared at him. He was confused, but then Mr. Bennet answered a question that Miss Bennet had apparently asked.

"Lizzy, Mr. Collins returned hours ago, without you. He brought with him the magistrate, claiming that someone had kidnapped you in the woods" Mr. Bennet told her.

Darcy watched as Mr. Collins stepped forward. He moved himself closer to Miss Bennet, as if he could protect her.

"My darling Lizzy, I was so afraid. Why, after you had made me the happiest man in world by accepting my proposal, I was distraught that our happiness was thus ended when you appeared to have been kidnapped." Mr. Collins stepped forwards, and laid a hand on her arm. His tone was overtly kind, dripping in false concern. Miss Bennet recoiled from his touch, pale as a sheet. Unconsciously, she leaned closer to him.

"Papa, that is not true!" Lizzy told him, turning to look at her father. She lowered her voice, so that only Darcy, Collins, and her father could hear. "I rejected Mr. Collins. He tried to compromise me!" She blushed as she said this, and looked down in shame.

"Lizzy dear, it is alright. Your father has given me consent to marry you" Mr. Collins stated. His tone was now harder, as if he could force her into accepting it as the truth. Mr. Bennet looked between the two of them and frowned minutely. "For who else shall want to marry a compromised woman like yourself?" He all but hissed. Mr. Hill, and Sir Lucas were too far away to hear anything, but Mr. Henry frowned in suspicion. The magistrate had inched forward.

"Papa, please" Lizzy begged.

"Lizzy, my dear, I wish there was another way. After you disappeared, Mr. Collins ran through Meryton assembling a search party, spreading the story of how you had been kidnapped by an unknown man, compromised. Now you show up with a torn dress, looking dreadful. Mr. Collins has offered to marry you, to save you from the gossip and shame"

Mr. Darcy understood the position Mr. Bennet was in, but he did not like it. This man was giving in, letting the lecherous man have his daughter. Mr. Darcy understood it, but he was not going to accept it. He had to find a way to remedy the situation. Poor Miss Bennet looked to be near tears. She looked up at him, and by chance, their eyes met. He was trapped. Without even realizing it, he was speaking.

"Mr. Bennet I compromised your daughter. I am prepared to take full responsibility for my actions. Mr. Collins need not settle himself with a compromised woman" He was loath to call her that, even if they both knew it was not true. Mr. Bennet looked silently at Mr. Darcy.

Lizzy was in shock. Did Mr. Darcy mean what she thought he meant? Did he wish to marry her instead? To save her from Mr. Collins yet again?

Mr. Darcy took a breath. Mr. Bennet still was silent, an eyebrow quirked in confusion.

"Mr. Bennet, I wish to marry your daughter"


	6. Mr Bennet is Relieved

**Alright, so this is Mr. Bennet's POV at the beginning, and a little in the middle, hope it reads okay! **

**Thank you all so much for reviewing! This next chapter is thankfully longer then the last.**

**The next update won't be until Friday, maybe even Saturday.**

**Enjoy!**

Mr. Bennet was silently thanking every god known to man. He did not wish to marry his favorite daughter to his idiotic cousin, but after Mr. Collins had spread the tale through Meryton, he had little choice but to consent.

He knew he was missing several key factors in this story, but he was content to let them slide for now. He knew his daughter was in no way compromised, nor was she lying about Collins attacking her. His daughter had looked fearful when he told her of her marriage to Mr. Collins. When Mr. Darcy had applied for her hand, he saw many emotions, but there was no fear, no hatred.

As a loving father, faced with an impossible task, he chose the lesser of two evils.

"Then it is settled. You will be married as soon as a license is procured. Mr. Darcy, if I could speak with you in my study" He wished to speak to him at once. "Elizabeth, you as well." He turned to Mr. Collins, who was seething. He was suddenly, overwhelmingly glad he had not picked the parson.

"Mr. Collins, have you a problem?" He inquired. The parson calmed his features to display disdain instead of anger.

"I am truly scandalized by my cousins wanton behavior. I believe I shall take my leave of your presence immediately!" He stated in an overly zealous matter. Collins made sure the other men heard, he noted.

"Mr. Bennet, I must speak with Mr. Collins immediately. Perhaps Miss Bennet can use this time to freshen up" Mr. Darcy stated, glaring at the now shaking parson. He nodded in consent.

"Of course. Mr. Henry, Mr. Hill, Sir Lucas, I thank you for you search efforts. I believe it would best if we all retired for the night." He told them in dismissal. Mr. Hill nodded and headed back to the stables. He was a trust worthy employee, Hill would keep this quiet, he was sure of it.

"Ah, well, must be back to Lady Lucas" Sir Lucas bowed. He would surely tell his wife, and by sunset, the whole village would be aware of Lizzy's nuptials.

"Mr. Bennet, are my services no longer needed?" Mr. Henry asked him, his voice low so that only Mr. Darcy and he would hear. Mr. Henry was a well liked magistrate. He respected the Bennet family, having started off as a squire to Mr. Philips in the village, he had come to know the young Bennet ladies quite well. He was an elder brother of sorts.

"I am sure Mr. Darcy will handle it" He replied, looking to the younger man. Mr. Henry arched a brow.

"That I shall" Mr. Darcy murmured, glaring at the parson.

"Very well, this conversation never took place then" And with that, Mr. Henry was off on his horse.

"Mr. Darcy, I shall await you in my study" He stated, taking Lizzy gently by the arm and leading her inside.

"All shall be well. Make haste darling" He whispered as Mrs. Hill led her up the stairs. His little Lizzy was pale, visibly shaking, and covered in muck. His heart was breaking.

DPOV

He glared at the sniveling man beneath him. His bug eyes were wide in fear, and he trembled in his boots. Darcy took pleasure in seeing the man before him act as thus. He deserved it, and more, for what he made Miss Elizabeth feel.

"Mr. Darcy, I-" The man had puffed out his chest. Before he could say another word, Darcy had struck him in the nose. Blood poured from the broken mess.

"Do not dare speak another word," Darcy hissed. "You are to listen, and listen well. I know what you have done. Believe me when I say this, if I thought it would bring Miss Elizabeth any pleasure at all, you would be lying dead on the ground"

Mr. Collins whimpered.

"But I know it would only cause her more pain. You are a pathetic excuse of a man. You will leave Longbourne as soon as possible. I do not care how; I do not care at all. I am going to write to my Aunt, and inform her of your behavior here in Hertfordshire. You will be dismissed. You will sign over all rights to Longbourne to myself, for no price. You will do all of this, or I will find you, and I will dispose of you. Is that clear Mr. Collins?" He growled.

"Yes, of course" Collins mumbled, blood clogging his words.

"You will remain here on the lawn. Your trunk will be sent out. You are to leave immediately. Am I completely clear Mr. Collins?"

He nodded.

"Enclosed in the letter to my Aunt will be the papers to sign over your right to inherit Longbourne. You will sign it, and send it express to Netherfield."

The odious man coughed on his blood, but nodded nonetheless.

"If I hear any reports of such behavior again from you, I will find you. If you do not comply with my rules, I will find you. If you so much as sneeze upon a maiden, I will find you Mr. Collins." Were his parting words. He turned quickly on his heel and walked into the house. Mrs. Hill appeared a second later.

"Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bennet awaits you in his study" She told him, gesturing for him to follow. Mr. Bennet was pacing by the fireplace.

"Mr. Collins is outside. You will have his belongings sent out?" Mr. Darcy questioned first. Mr. Bennet nodded.

"Mrs. Hill, see to it that Mr. Collins receives his belongings on the lawn. You need not pack them, have a stable boy toss them out the window" Mr. Bennet said. The woman nodded and left them.

"We have much to discuss Mr. Darcy" Mr. Bennet started. He walked over to his desk, and picked up a bottle of a whiskey. Without asking, he pouring two cups, passing one to Darcy, who gladly swallowed the burning liquid.

"We should wait for Miss Elizabeth" Darcy told him. Mr. Bennet.

"She will be down soon." Was his reply.

There was a brief moment of silence as each man thought things over. Mr. Bennet finally broke it.

"You are aware that she has no dowry," He stated. Darcy nodded.

"It is of no consequence" Darcy replied.

"We have relations in Cheapside, cousins in trade. Mrs. Bennet's whole family in fact," He informed him.

"Miss Elizabeth is the daughter of a gentleman, I am a gentleman, we are equal in status Mr. Bennet" Mr. Darcy found himself saying. Had you asked him earlier in the day, his response would have been quite different.

"The ton will talk"

"I care not what the Ton thinks. As you are aware, I am not the most sociable of gentlemen"

A knock sounded at the door.

"Enter" Mr. Bennet called. Miss Elizabeth walked in timidly, her eyes downcast. Freshly clean, she looked even worse. The bruise on her cheek was in stark contrast to her pale skin. She had dozens of red scratches across her cheeks as well, and on her hands.

"Papa, Mr. Darcy" She said, curtsying. They both bowed in response.

"Come, sit by the fire Lizzy" Mr. Bennet led her to the armchair. She perched lightly on the edge. "Drag the chair closer Mr. Darcy, I daresay you two were in the rain long enough to catch cold, warm yourself. Mr. Darcy, you're clothing is still quite soaked, here take this seat" He offered him the wooden one closer to the fire, and closer to Lizzy.

"Thank you sir" Mr. Darcy replied. The fire was soothing.

"Now, I want the full story Elizabeth" Mr. Bennet stated, sitting in his own chair. "Start from the walk"


	7. Miss Bennet Tells it True

**HAPPY VALENTINES DAY EVERYONE! I know I said I would post another chapter on Friday or Saturday, so this one is only 900 words or so, so think of it as a Valentines day gift. The next chapter will be longer, promise! **

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**Enjoy!**

As she spoke, her voice trembled with grief, and anger. She recounted the whole story to her father, sparring no details. Mr. Bennet was furious by the end.

"That sniveling little toad!" He roared. "And to think he is to inherit the estate when I pass! The nerve of that man!" Elizabeth touched his forearm to calm him. He patted his daughter's hand affectionately.

"Papa, what did Mr. Collins say?" She asked. "To the town, to you" She clarified.

"Lizzy, dearest, I am sorry. I was unaware that Mr. Collins and yourself had even left the parlor. After an hour, Mr. Collins came running into this very room," Mr. Bennet started. "He was red faced and gasping for his breathe. He proceeded to tell me that he had been walking about the gardens with you, when you had been taken from him by a man on a horse. He brought the magistrate and Sir Lucas from town, as he had run through there, spreading the tale of your kidnap. I apologize Lizzy; I was worried about you and your reputation. I gave my consent without proper thought." Mr. Bennet told her.

"The whole town thinks I was kidnapped" Lizzy whispered. "And now with the sudden marriage to Mr. Darcy, they will whisper awful things about you, sir," She addressed the stoic looking man. Mr. Darcy sighed.

"Miss Bennet, I do not care about idle gossip. Your father, yourself, and I alone know the truth." Lizzy felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. She nodded in his direction, lest she start crying while trying to speak. "I shall ride to London on the morrow, to speak with my steward, and procure the proper licenses. We can be married within a fortnight if that is agreeable,"

Again, Miss Elizabeth nodded. Darcy noted her watery eyes, and trembling hands.

"Mr. Bennet, if that is all, I will take my leave. I must return to Netherfield to arrange my trip,"

"Of course. Lizzy, tell Hill to ready his horse, please" Lizzy bowed and left the room; obviously her father had more business with Mr. Darcy.

Mr. Bennet again turned to face the younger man.

"I do not believe I can even begin to thank you Mr. Darcy. You have saved my favorite daughter from a horrible situation."

"I assure you Mr. Bennet, your thanks are not needed." Mr. Darcy replied.

"I am curious to as of why you have taken this upon yourself however. Barely two months ago, you had stated that Lizzy was barely tolerable" At this remark, Darcy felt himself flush in embarrassment, and shame.

"I did not know that my comments were overheard. I presume Miss Elizabeth heard them?" At Mr. Bennet's nod, he blushed darker. "I must admit to being in a rather foul mood that evening, I had received a most distressing letter from home. I had not even glanced at Miss Elizabeth before speaking. Miss Elizabeth is honestly one of the most beautiful women in my acquaintance."

"I am glad to hear it, sir" Mr. Bennet smirked. The older gentleman was clearly hiding something from him. "I will not hold you any longer. Lizzy shall be back in a moment, she will escort you outside"

True to his word, Lizzy arrived a second later.

"Good day Mr. Darcy"

"Good day Mr. Bennet"

Lizzy watched him silently as they walked outside. He looked tired. He was still disshelved from the storm, and he looked quite pale.

"Are you feeling well Mr. Darcy?" She asked, breaking the silence. He looked down upon her, and smiled faintly.

"I am but a tad chilled Miss Bennet, thank you" He replied. "Miss. Bennet, I wish to clarify a matter with you" He told her. As he said this, Lizzy began to think the worst.

"Alright" She murmured.

"I wish to apologize for my abhorrent behavior at the Meryton Assembly. I had not even looked upon you when I made such a hideous remark. I was merely trying to dissuade Mr. Bingley from encouraging me to dance. I was in a foul mood, and I regret hurting you in that manner. On the contrary Miss Bennet, you are one of the most handsome women I have met" He told her slowly, looking at her face for her reaction. She flushed, causing him to smile faintly. Perhaps she had feelings for him as well?

"Apology accepted Mr. Darcy," She all but whispered. She was overcome with a swell of emotion for this man, the one who had insulted her very being a few weeks back, her savior and her current fiancé. He brought her hand to his lips.

"Until we meet again Miss Bennet" He said, pressing a gentle kiss to her palm. He mounted his horse, and rode off into the sunset.

Lizzy stood upon the lawn for a few seconds longer. She was conflicted, were her emotions for Mr. Darcy purely based on him being her savior, or did she truly feel for the man? She supposed it matter naught, she would have to marry him now, love or no.


	8. Mr Darcy Makes Plans

**Okay, so this is a tad bit late, I meant to update it earlier but I'm still having some internet issues from the blizzard last weekend. Its about 2000 words, so a decent length. I actually ended up putting two chapters together since I did not realize how short they really were. **

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**I hope you enjoy this next chapter, I should be able to update again by Monday, perhaps even a short chapter tomorrow!**

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**Longbourne**

Mr. Bennet told the family that Lizzy was to wed Mr. Darcy at the very end of dinner. Mrs. Bennet was mid swallow with a mouthful of soup. With spectacular aim, she splattered the soup all over herself. Mr. Bennet had hoped that the small moment would have caused his Lizzy to laugh, and yet all it achieved was a faint, barely perceptible smile. That was all that was said on the matter. Lydia asked about the bruise, and the scratches, but Lizzy denied to comment. She hastily fled from the table, Jane hot on her heels.

Hours later the Bennet household was silent, save for the occasional moan of Mrs. Bennet, or the light piano strokes from Mary.

Mrs. Bennet had taken to bed with a case of nerves after dinner. after Lizzy's departure, and her husbands silence. On one hand, she was overjoyed that her daughter was marrying THE Mr. Darcy of Pemberely, man of 10,000 pounds per annum. On the other hand, she was furious that Lizzy had acted so wanton in running off with Mr. Darcy, instead of courting like a normal couple. These conflicting emotions were causing her head to ache.

"Oh that headstrong, impertinent girl" She moaned. Siting next to her, Lydia and Kitty simply nodded, and patted her hand before kissing her goodnight.

They made their way back to their room, both slipping under the blankets in silence. Their sister was so lucky! If only they could meet a man of Mr. Darcy's wealth, who wore a red coat, and was as handsome as Wickham! They were both lost in the thoughts of what pin money Lizzy would have, and all the things she could buy her favorite, younger sister.

Down the hall, Mary was studiously plucking away at her piano. She was angry that her cousin had proved to be such a disappointing man. He was a man of the cloth after all. She had no doubt that her sister's mysterious bruise and scrapes were from the parson, but Lizzy refused to speak. Mary decided to pray for her instead.

Jane sat with Lizzy in their bedchamber, gently smoothing her hair. Lizzy had told the truth. Her sister had wept for her, before pulling her into the tightest hug she could handle. Lizzy cried herself to sleep, before being awoken by a terrible nightmare. Jane held her tight as she began to sob anew.

**Netherfield**

Darcy returned to Netherfield hours after he had departed from the Bennet household. He had stopped at the local Inn to send an express to his cousin, his aunt, and his steward. After that was complete, he road to Oakham Mount, and watched the sunset, before heading back.

Charles met him at the stables, looking quite upset.

"Darcy! Bloody hell man, where have you been? I sent stable boys out to find you, they returned hours ago! Caroline told me that you would be back by midday," He ranted.

"I apologize Charles" He replied.

"You look awful" Charles stated dryly, taking in his appearance. "Are you injured?"

"I am fine, merely filthy," Darcy told him.

"Come now, wash and dress, I will inform the staff to send a tray to your room. I expect you to come find when you are finished, and tell me the truth," Charles told him. "Caroline's waiting in the foyer to greet you, best take the kitchen door"

"Thank you Charles" Darcy stated. Minutes later he arrived at his chambers. His valet was already filling a tub with steaming water. If Adams was surprised by his appearance, he did not show it. The man helped him undress, and then left him to soak.

An hour later, Adams reappeared. He helped Darcy redress, before informing him that a tray was awaiting him in his chambers.

"Thank you Adams."

"You are welcome Master William," The older man said.

"You are free for the night, I can undress myself. Go, rest Adams"

After quickly downing his supper, Mr. Darcy went to find Mr. Bingley, who was sitting in his library, feet propped up on his desk, with a glass of brandy in his hands.

"Ah, there you are" He smiled. "Take a seat, have a drink"

"You must congratulate me Charles, I am to be married" Darcy told him. He had chosen that moment to take a sip of his drink, which Darcy had observed. In a split second he had spat the liquid all over his desk and pants. He started coughing. Darcy resisted the urge to smile.

"You did that on purpose," Charles grumbled. "Are you serious?"

"I am" Darcy replied. "I travel to London on the morrow to procure the license"

"To whom?" Charles asked. He had taken his feet off of the desk, and was now leaning very close.

"Miss Bennet" He replied. Charles turned a very purple color, gripping his glass tightly.

"Miss Bennet?" He questioned tightly. Darcy full out smirked now.

"Yes, Miss Elizabeth Bennet" He clarified. Charles's face returned to its normal hue as he heaved a sigh of relief. "I would like to recant my previous comments about Miss Jane however, it seems that she is just as wary as to admit love, as to protect herself from hurt"

"You mean she loves me?" Charles asked, looking eager. Darcy nodded.

"I believe so, yes. You really should ask permission to court her"

"Did you court Miss Bennet in secret?" Bingley asked. Darcy nodded; Charles did not need to know the truth yet.

"Yes. Tomorrow when you venture into town, you shall hear some rumors regarding our engagement. I beg that you pay no heed to them"

"Of course Darce" Charles replied, although he looked confused.

"I shall return from London with Richard. Miss Elizabeth and I are to wed in a fortnight. I must procure the license, and settle everything. I should be back within a week"

"Then in a week we shall have a small dinner party with the Bennet's!" Charles exclaimed. "To introduce them to Richard. And how about Georgiana, will she not join us?"

"She is still too fragile from her illness. I do not believe it would be wise to have her travel such a distance" Darcy replied. In reality, Wickham was still here, and he could not risk the chance of them running into each other.

With parting words, and wishes of safe travel, since Bingley would still be asleep by the time her left, the two friends parted for their chambers.

The night passed slowly, sleep evading Mr. Darcy. Every time he closed his eyes, he pictured her, pale and broken, Mr. Collins standing over her. He awoke every time, panting and gasping for breath, tears threatening to fall. Eventually he gave up, and left for London before daybreak. He could sleep later.

He reached London in good time. He was half falling off his horse by the time he reached his townhouse. He ended up falling asleep on his desk, a pile of papers beneath him.

Several hours later, Richard Fitzwilliam found his cousin drooling upon estate records. He laughed at the sight, before shaking his cousin awake.

"Ah, Richard" He blinked sleepily. He looked much younger then the Colonel remembered. "You are here early"

"Au contraire" The Colonel said in a thick French accent, causing his cousin to smile faintly. "It is past midday cousin. Now, how about you tell me why I received an express last night, informing me on your impending marriage, to a woman no one has ever heard of, and why you were asleep upon your desk"

"I traveled from Hertfordshire late last night, arriving before daybreak. I had set out to do some paperwork, I must have fallen asleep," He told him. He wiped the drool off of his face, causing his cousin to snicker.

"So, Miss Bennet, hmm? Come on, I smell a story, best let it out now" The Colonel plopped himself down in a plush chair by the fireplace, pouring himself a drink.

"She is the daughter of a landed gentleman in Hertfordshire" He began, but his cousin cut him off.

"Landed, gentleman, pish posh Darcy. You know I would not care if you married a peasant."

"Alright, alright. Longbourne is a small estate that has fallen into disrepair. Her father prefers his books to his tenants. Her mothers family is fully in trade, and her favorite relations live on Gracechurch" He told him. "She has no dowry to speak of, and there is going to be talk that I compromised her" He told his cousin quickly. The Colonel looked at him, surprised written all over his face.

"Compromised? You?" He sputtered. Darcy hung his head, but nodded. "Is it true?" He questioned.

"No." He replied. "It all comes back to Aunt Catherine's odious parson, Mr. Collins"

"Ah, Aunt Catherine is always to blame" Richard stated. "And what did her parson do?"

"He is Miss Bennet's cousin, and the heir to their estate, as they have no male sons. He and Miss Elizabeth were walking in the gardens, when he proposed. They got further into the paths around the estate as he continued to propose in what I have been told was a long, ignorant speech. When she politely refused, he believed her to be false. He pursued, adamantly persisting that she wanted to marry him. Eventually he grabbed her, and tried to compromise her. She spat in his face. He was so angered, that he let her go as he slapped her cheek. She was knocked down, but got up and ran from him. I heard her screams as I was resting Cavallo at the base of a local mount. I of course had to investigate. She ended up running right into me, screaming in fear. Meanwhile, Mr. Collins took to the local town, spreading false rumors of her compromise, and her kidnapping. By the time I escorted her home, after several hours due to a storm, the magistrate and several neighbors were awaiting us. Mr. Collins had told them she had consented to be his wife. With little choice, her father was forced to give him her hand, else she and her family be ruined."

"And thus, gentleman Darcy, stepped up and claimed her hand instead" The Colonel guessed.

"It was more like, "Mr. Bennet, I compromised your daughter. I take full responsibility" After which I realized what I had said, and then applied for her hand" Darcy finished. "I could not allow her to marry the very man that had stuck her."

"And what of Mr. Collins?"

"He has been dealt with" He replied shortly. "I am going to meet with Mr. Jones later about a special license, I hope to be wed within a fortnight. I ask that you travel back to Hertfordshire with me. Wickham is stationed in the militia there, I believe you have missed our dear friend" This made the Colonel grin.

"Indeed I have, Indeed I have"

_MEANWHILE IN HERTFORDSHIRE_

The next morning Lizzy woke up feeling awful. She had scarcely gotten a minute of sleep without waking up in fear for her life. Jane comforted her the best she could, but after waking for the fifth time, Lizzy removed herself to the library to read. Eventually she drifted off, only to wake as her father gently shook her shoulder.

"Breakfast is ready my dear" He whispered. Lizzy nodded and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Can I have it sent to my room papa? I am not feeling well," She pleaded. Mr. Bennet nodded, and sighed sadly. He hated to see his little girl like this. She was a shell of her former self.


	9. Miss Bennet is Troubled

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A full week passed before Mr. Darcy returned to Hertfordshire. He briefly stopped at Netherfield, to drop off various items he had brought from town, before Charles and he left for Longbourne.

Charles planned on asking Mr. Bennet permission to court his daughter, making him a nervous wreck.

"You are sure he will approve?" Charles asked, wringing his hat in his hands. He looked nervous, and had a tremor to him.

"Charles, calm yourself" Darcy told him. They left their horses with the stable hand, and walked to the door. Mrs. Hill appeared, and sighed at the sight of them. She ushered them inside with a smile. She was silently thanking the lord that the two men had arrived; Mrs. Bennet was swooning with nerves.

"Mr. Bingley, and Mr. Darcy" She announced. Mrs. Bennet was sitting atop a settee, knitting what appeared to be a shawl. She dropped it as she hurried to curtsey. Miss Jane sat on a window seat, sketching the scenery, while Miss Mary tapped away on the piano in the corner. Miss Elizabeth, Kitty and Lydia were all missing.

"Oh, Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy, what a pleasant surprise!" She trilled. Miss Jane blushed at her mother's shrill voice.

"Is Mr. Bennet in ma'am?" Charles asked quickly. Darcy almost smiled. Mrs. Bennet frowned a bit, but then put it together in her head. She smiled wider then Darcy thought possible.

"Of course! Why he is in his study now, reading some dreadful thing or another. Don't be shy, go knock. He welcomes a respite from his readings every once in awhile," Mrs. Bennet told him. Bingley nodded and left the room, leaving Mr. Darcy.

"Come now, sit down Mr. Darcy" Mrs. Bennet said. "You are to be family soon, we must acquaint ourselves with one another" He hesitantly sat on the sofa. Ribbons fell from behind the pillow, but he pretended not to notice.

"I shall call for tea when Mr. Bingley returns" Mrs. Bennet told him.

He nodded.

"I trust your travels went well?" Mrs. Bennet asked after a moment.

"They did ma'am, I thank you" He replied.

"Mr. Bingley invited us for dinner on the morrow, to celebrate. I believe he told me that your cousin would be in attendance, a Colonel in the military?" She asked. Darcy resisted the urge to sigh.

"Yes ma'am"

"And your cousin, has he a family we will meet as well?" She hinted.

"My Aunt, Uncle, and cousin are engaged on the continent for the month. They will not be able to attend the wedding" He replied. He saw Mrs. Bennet's eyes light up.

"And your sister, I believe she is around Lydia's age, will she be in attendance?"

"My sister is in poor health. She is unable to travel." He replied.

"Most unfortunate" Mrs. Bennet murmured. "Jane, dear, come show Mr. Darcy how well you draw. She is the only one with the natural ability." Jane blushed, but obeyed. She showed him a picture of the garden. It was actually quite good.

"Tis lovely Miss Bennet" He told her.

"Thank you Mr. Darcy" She replied. "I would not have started to draw had it not been for Lizzy. She pestered me into it actually" Jane told him, looking straight at him. He acknowledged her with a nod of his head. By bringing up Lizzy, he could now politely inquire as to her whereabouts.

"And where is Miss Elizabeth today?" He asked.

"She is ill" Jane said quickly before her mother could answer.

"Ill?" Darcy asked loudly.

"Oh nonsense, she is merely a trifle under the weather. She shall be better by the morrow, do not worry" Mrs. Bennet said before Jane could speak again. "Does Mary not play the piano exceptionally well?" Mrs. Bennet changed the subject, and the matter dropped. Darcy complimented Miss Mary on her playing, and was treated to a duo by her and Miss Jane, before Bingley finally returned. He looked ashen, but happy.

"It is such a wonderful day out Mrs. Bennet, perhaps I could tempt you ladies with a turn about the gardens?" He asked. Mrs. Bennet easily saw through his plan, and encouraged Mary and Jane to join the two gentlemen. Mary demurred, claiming that she needed more practice.

Darcy slowed his pace and allowed the two their privacy.

After several minutes, he heard what sounded to be a cry of laughter. Mr. Bingley appeared a second later around a rather large bush.

"She said yes!" He told his friend. Darcy smiled as Miss Jane came around the corner, blushing a spectacular red color.

"My congratulations' Mr. Darcy murmured.

"Thank you Mr. Darcy" Miss Jane replied.

"May I ask a favor of you Miss Bennet?" He questioned. She looked to Charles, who smiled and nodded.

"Of course Mr. Darcy" She replied. He pulled out a wrapped package from his coat, passing it to Miss Bennet.

"Will you give this to Miss Elizabeth?" He questioned. Jane looked puzzled and nodded.

"Yes, of course" She told him again. She hesitated, and looked as if she needed to tell him something, but instead suggested that they head back inside, as it was growing late in the day.

Later in the evening, Jane opened the door to her bedchamber, and watched as her sister stared into space.

"Lizzy?" She whispered. Lizzy turned and looked to her sister.

"Jane" She replied.

"Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley came by earlier" She told her, sitting on the bed next to her. "Mr. Bingley asked for permission to court me" Lizzy tried to smile, but it ended up looking more of a grimace. "Mr. Darcy gave me this to give to you" She passed her the wrapped box. Lizzy stared at it, sitting it in her hands. She would open it later.

Caroline Bingley was none to pleased that the Bennet family was coming over for dinner. She believed it to be in celebration of her brother's courtship with the eldest, Miss Jane. Had Miss Bingley gone into town, she would have realized that it was for Miss Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, but Caroline Bingley thought herself above that.

"I do not see why we need to have a dinner party to celebrate a courtship Charles," She stated as she meticulously placed the seating cards around the table. Charles made a mental note to switch them when she went upstairs to dress, which would be soon.

"We should not need a reason to dine with our neighbors Caroline," He told her. "And Colonel Fitzwilliam has arrived, we shall celebrate that as well"

Caroline rolled her eyes. Her brother was too friendly.

"I am going to dress," She announced. Charles nodded. As soon as he heard her footsteps on the staircase, he called Darcy in, who quickly scanned the place cards. Miss Bennet was as far away from Mr. Bingley as was Miss Elizabeth from him. They rearranged the cards, and quickly left to get ready.

Two hours later the Bennet's pulled up in their carriage.

The Netherfield party was assembled in the foyer, ready to greet them. Miss Lydia and Miss Kitty came through first. They were instantly besotted with the Colonel, who grinned at the attention. The rest of the Bennet's filed in greeting the Bingley's politely. Mr. Darcy was shocked when he saw Miss Elizabeth.

She had always been a thin woman, but she looked gaunt, and sickly. Her skin was pale, devoid of any color, save for a slight grey tint. There were dark circles under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept in a week. The necklace he had given her, the pearl and emerald one that had been a favorite of his mothers, looked heavy on her neck.

"Miss Elizabeth" He greeted. She curtsied rather clumsily, and allowed him to press a small kiss to her hand.

"Mr. Darcy" She said softly. Her voice sounded hoarse.

"May I introduce you to my cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam?" The Colonel smiled and bowed. "Richard, this is Miss Elizabeth"

"A pleasure to meet you" He smiled gently. Lizzy tried her best to smile back "I look forward to getting to know you" He winked as Caroline approached.

"Dinner is being served, Mr. Darcy, Colonel," She stated. She looked at Lizzy and frowned.

"Thank you Miss Bingley" The Colonel replied. Lydia and Kitty quickly came and claimed him as their escort. He was happy to oblige. Mr. Bingley and Mary came over to where he and Lizzy still stood.

"Miss Elizabeth" Mr. Bingley stated, smiling. "I am so happy" He told her, winking as the Colonel had.

Elizabeth, after the second wink, finally understood. Miss. Bingley did not know of the marriage! This put her in a slightly better mood, if only for a second. She smiled a tad bit easier then she had with the Colonel.

"May I escort you two to the dining room Miss Elizabeth, Miss Mary?" Mr. Darcy asked after a pause. Mary leaned very lightly on his arm, while Elizabeth seemed as if she would fall over without it.

Charles had escorted Miss Jane, and his sister. Now, since they had rearranged the place cards, Richard was near Caroline Bingley at the way end of the table. Neither one looked too pleased about it.

The group chatted idly through the first and second course. Mr. Darcy noted that Miss Elizabeth barely ate.

"Are you well Miss Elizabeth?" He asked, knowing full well that she was not.

"I am but a little fatigued Mr. Darcy" She replied softly. "I thank you for the necklace, it is quite lovely" She told him quietly.

"You are welcome. It was a favorite of my mothers," He told her. "Have you tried the soup, it is quite exceptional" He told her. She nodded, but made no move to eat anything. He frowned.

Dinner went by quickly. He conversed politely with Miss Mary about the piano and the musicians he had seen in Italy. Miss Elizabeth was silent, barely eating her food. Mr. Darcy noticed the concerned looks Mr. Bennet sent his way. As the last of the plates were cleared away, Bingley stood with his glass of wine.

"I am so pleased to have everyone here together tonight" He started. "First, I want to thank the beautiful Miss Bennet, for allowing me the permission to court her, and her father of course" Colonel Fitzwilliam laughed loudly at this, to Charles' amusement. "Secondly, I would like to say what a pleasure it is to have you with us for the week Colonel" Here Richard raised his glass to Charles. Caroline looked on, a bored expression on his face. "And last, the reason we are all here today, I wish to congratulate my dearest friend on his engagement, Darcy, I know you and Miss Elizabeth shall be very happy together" Everyone clapped, Mrs. Bennet praised Mr. Bingley on such a fine speech, and Caroline Bingley shattered the glass goblet she was drinking from. Only the Colonel was witness to that, which made his evening all the better.

Caroline sat seething on the piano stool. Miss Elizabeth was not worthy of her Mr. Darcy. She was awful at playing the piano, and she was thin as a corpse. Why, her dress was hanging off of her at dinner. Caroline should have recognized the necklace she wore, it was a Darcy heirloom, centuries old. That was supposed to be her necklace. She was supposed to marry Mr. Darcy. This would not do.

Mr. Darcy was pleased that the wedding was approaching. Miss Elizabeth was clearly not getting any better, if tonight's dinner had proven anything. He adamantly hoped that Georgiana would be able to help her heal, and vice versa. He knew they would be great friends for each other.

He was also worried, for more then one reason. His Aunt had refused to fire the parson, but did approve of his denouncement of Longbourne. She was in need of a full time parson, not one who was destined to leave.

The next concern was Miss Elizabeth's feelings. She was clearly not in love with him, as he was with her. He had realized in London that he did indeed love Miss Elizabeth, despite all of her flaws. She was the first thing he thought of in the morning, and the last thing he thought of before he dreamt of her. It was maddening. But he knew that he would not force her to love him. Perhaps she would grow to love him, as his mother had grown to love his father.

He fell asleep with a smile upon his face as he dreamt of Miss Elizabeth, her arms encircling his waist, her breath upon his neck, and her lips pressed softly against his own.

Longbourne

Dinner at Netherfield had left her tired. She was starving, but anything she ate tasted like dirt and mud. She lay upon her bed, staring into the dark night. She was confused beyond belief. Mr. Darcy had seemed genuinely concerned for her at dinner, and the necklace was quite beautiful. He had mentioned it was a favorite of his mothers, surely that meant something?

"Jane?" She whispered, hoping reverently that her sister was still awake.

"Yes?" Jane whispered back across the blankets.

"Do you believe Mr. Wickham was lying when he told us about Mr. Darcy?" She asked. It was a thought that had plagued her mind since Mr. Darcy had saved her from marriage to the toad.

"Charles has warned me against Mr. Wickham as well Lizzy. I do not believe Mr. Darcy capable of such actions; he is too much of a gentleman. So yes, I believe Mr. Wickham was lying"

"I am so conflicted Jane" She admitted.

"All will be well soon Lizzy. Now please, try to sleep some" Jane begged. Lizzy made a noise halfway between consent and not.

Lizzy did fall into a fitful sleep. She was plagued by horrible nightmares. She dreamt that Mr. Darcy was the one chasing her, until Mr. Collin's caught her. It made the dream all the worse. She woke up; her heart beating out of her chest, just before she was wed to Collin's in the dream. She looked outside, it was still dark. Grabbing her morning coat, she tiptoed out of the room, and down to the library, where she tried to read until sunrise.


	10. The First Day of Forever

**The Wedding Chapter! Thank you all for reviewing, I hope you like this next chapter as well. The story still has a lot of major plot lines coming up, like meeting Georgiana, the fate of Mr. Collins, etc, etc. I posted links on my profile of Jane and Lizzy's dresses. Tell me what you think!**

The morning of the wedding dawned bright with a cloudless blue sky, and plenty of sun. Lizzy stirred from her light sleep, feeling as she had all week. Since the attack, she had been plagued with horrifying dreams. She had not slept properly since then. She could not eat, she could not sleep, and reading did not even provide the escape it once had.

"Good morning Lizzy" Jane chirped from beside her. "This shall be our last morning waking up beside one another" She commented sadly. Lizzy nodded in agreement. Tears welled in her eyes.

"Oh Lizzy, please do not cry! You shall be very happy with Mr. Darcy, I know it!" Jane assured her, hugging her tight. Lizzy fought back the tears again, managing to dry her eyes.

"He is a good man," Lizzy whispered, looking at the wedding dress hanging on her door. Mr. Darcy had sent it over a week ago. The local seamstress had fitted it to her. It needed surprisingly little alterations.

"Tis a beautiful dress" Jane told her. And it was. It was a beautiful gold and creme gown, with mid length sleeves, and flowered embroidery down the front. It had a matching veil as well. (_Picture Pirates of the Caribbean Wedding Dress_) The material was silky and light.

"We should get up," Lizzy stated. Jane helped her bathe and brush out her hair, before their maid, Betsy, came up to style it.

"Twist is there, no actually plait" Jane was dictated her mothers strict orders. Lizzy tried her best not to wince as they tucked and pulled and twisted her unruly locks in an acceptable style. The younger girls maid, Arabel, came in to help Jane dress.

"That looks so lovely on you Jane" Lizzy murmured as Arabel laced up the black of Jane's light blue dress. It had lace trim, with nav blue ribbons adorning the front. Jane's eyes mirrored the color perfectly.

"I shall have to thank Mr. Darcy" Jane said gently. "It was kind of him to think of me"

"Oh Jane, you look darling my dear" Mrs. Bennet stated as she waltzed into the room. Jane flushed. "You are much too thin Lizzy," She complained. "No bosom at all" She complained as she nipped and tucked at Lizzy's dress. Betsy waited to finish tying the stays as to not pinch Mrs. Bennet's fingers.

"Mama, Lizzy looks beautiful," Jane said. "Doesn't she?"

"Indeed. It is a lovely dress. You look well Elizabeth" Mrs. Bennet stated, backing up to admire her "work". "Now Jane, go downstairs, I wish to speak with Lizzy on a private matter" Jane blushed, she knew what was coming, before rushing out the door.

"Sit down Lizzy" Mrs. Bennet sat next to her on the bed. "Now, it is a mothers duty to inform her daughter of the marriage bed. I will not lie; it will not be a pleasant experience. Mr. Darcy is a powerful gentleman; he will be so in all aspects of his life Lizzy, including the marriage bed. Now the first time will hurt a lot, tis best to just lie still and think about other things. He will come to your room the first night, and many after until you have given him an heir. After he has his heir, the visits will occur less. Do you have any questions?"

Lizzy was shocked silent. Mrs. Bennet nodded, and begged her to make haste, lest they be late to her own wedding.

20 minutes later she was walking down the small aisle, shaking. He was stunned into silence by her beauty. She was simply breathtaking. He smiled as she approached. The pastor began his mass, but Mr. Darcy was too enthralled by his bride to take notice of anything. When his part came to speak, he nearly stuttered.

"Fitzwilliam Darcy, do you take Elizabeth Bennet to be your wife and your spouse and pledge to her the faith of you body, that you will be faithful to her and loyal with your body and your goods and that you will keep her in sickness and in health and in whatever condition it will please the Lord to place her, and that you shall not exchange her for better or worse until the end" The priest asked.

"I do"

The priest repeated the vows for Elizabeth.

"I do" She replied.

The priest took the rings from Mr. Bingley and Miss Bennet.

"Repeat after me, with this ring, I thee wed"

"With this ring, I thee wed" He told her, slipping his mother's ring onto her slender hand. It was a perfect fit. Compared to most of the Darcy family jewelry, the ring was the simplest of them all. His father had it commissioned for his mother on the day of his birth. The band was gold, the diamond was heart shaped. It was rather thick, and appeared to have bands around the diamond. Smaller diamonds were inlaid around the gold. Her hand trembled as he slid it past the last knuckle, to its final place.

The priest handed her the other ring.

"With this ring, I thee wed" She repeated, sliding the thick gold ring over his finger. The crowd clapped as they made their way, arm and arm, to the awaiting carriage. Colonel Fitzwilliam and Charles took great pleasure at pelting the duo with rice.

The wedding breakfast was short, as the new Mr. and Mrs. Darcy had to be on the road soon if they wanted to reach Derbyshire by nightfall. After a tearful goodbye to her family, Elizabeth and Darcy left Longbourne, Colonel Fitzwilliam staying the night at Netherfield. He hand her up into the carriage, and they began their journey. She watched as her home disappeared into the distance. Tears flowered freely down her cheeks.

After several minutes of silence, Darcy could stand it no longer.

"Elizabeth?" He called softly. He could not tell if she was awake or not with her head against the window. She looked up at him, with tears in her eyes. He sighed. "Elizabeth, what is it?" He asked.

"Tis nothing" She murmured. They were sitting across from each other in the large carriage. He deliberated for a second, before moving across the seat to sit next to her. She stiffened minutely.

"Please, tell me" He begged. "I cannot bear to see you cry anymore"

"I shall miss them," She admitted. "Even mama and Lydia"

"They are always welcome to visit Elizabeth," He told her. "You should try to get some rest, it will be a long ride" She nodded. They lapsed back into silence. Neither one slept.


	11. Miss Bennet Dreams, Mr Darcy Comforts

**Thanks for the reviews! This next chapter gives you some insight into Lizzy's state of mind. I hope you like it! Keep in mind that she still isn't quite sure why Mr. Darcy married her, she is not aware of his feelings yet. She cannot confine in a man she barely knows. They both have their own unique prides to them.**

He startled awake when he heard her moans. They were still in the carriage, sitting next to each other, her head against his shoulder. She was twisting and turning, moaning in her sleep. He watched her eyelids twitch, she was having a nightmare it seemed.

_She was running through the woods. The path was long forgotten. She could hear him cackling behind her._

_"Run all you want my dear, proper ladies never outrun a proper gentlemen" He taunted. A giant toad appeared in her path, with the face of Mr. Collins. She screamed and skidded to a halt. She fell from stopping so suddenly, and landed in a puddle of mud. The giant toad was fast approaching._

_"No, please" She heard herself begging. He approached faster. With a giant webbed hand, he reached out and smacked her, knocking her back into the puddle. The puddle was deeper now, she was drowning in the mud._

_"Please, help" She begged. A figure appeared in the darkness. As if in a fairytale, a knight in shining white armor appeared. He drew his sword and challenged the toad._

_The toad stuck out his tongue, which pink and metallic She could see the sharpness of it from her spot in the mud. The white knight parried and slashed, but the pink tongue kept the white knight at bay._

_After several bad cuts, the knight fell to the ground. The toad smirked, bringing his pink tongue back into his odious mouth. He leered at her, drowning in the mud._

_"No one can save you now my dear" He whispered. The toad picked up the white knight's sword, and held it above his head. "It was stupid of him to try and save you. You are mine, you will always be mine!" The toad drove the sword down in the knight. He cringed, and turned to her. He unmasked himself, letting the metal helmet roll away._

_"Elizabeth!" He called._

_Blood dripped from his mouth._

_"Elizabeth!" The voice sounded urgent. _

_The mud was shaking. The knight turned his impossibly blue eyes to her._

_"Elizabeth!" The voice called again._

She jerked awake, almost knocking herself off of the bench. For a moment she felt the strong hand holding her tightly, and she fought. She whimpered and scratched, until he spoke, calming her.

"It's okay, Elizabeth, calm down. You're okay. He cannot hurt you anymore," Mr. Darcy whispered against her hair. She sagged in his arms. Her breath was ragged, and tears threatened to fall.

Stupid, it was stupid to fall asleep. She was embarrassed that Mr. Darcy was now privy to her most secret of secrets.

"I'm sorry" She whispered. She pulled away from his grip and moved to his former seat across from the bench they had sitting on.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Elizabeth" He whispered. She put her head against the window, refusing to look at him. She could not bear to see anymore pity from Mr. Darcy, she had seen it enough.

They continued the rest of the journey in silence.

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It took half a day to get to Pemberely, they arrived well past midnight. Elizabeth swayed on her feet as he helped her from the carriage. He quickly steadied her.

"Are you alright? Are you faint?" He asked, concerned.

"I am fine, just a spell" She told him, still not meeting his eyes.

"Are you hungry?" He asked. She shook her head no. She had not eaten at all in his presence. She had refused to speak with him about her nightmare. He was worried.

"Everyone shall be asleep by now. But tomorrow you will meet Georgiana, my sister, and Mrs. Reynolds, the housekeeper. For now, we shall just retire to sleep" Lizzy felt her heart racing. She knew what the martial bed meant. Her mother had told her, and she was petrified. Every time someone touched her, she thought of him, of his slimy hands groping about. She was shaking by the time they reached the doors to the master and mistress's chambers. He opened the door for her, and showed her inside.

"It was decorated after my mother passed away. If you do not like anything, it can be changed."

"It's lovely" She replied. The walls were a pale green color with darker greens and browns. The woodwork was simply stunning. It had a luxurious yet simple feel to it.

"Elizabeth, this is Mira" Darcy told her. Mira was a young girl, probably a year younger then Lizzy herself. She curtsied. "She will be your personal maid"

"Pleasure to meet you" Lizzy murmured. "Thank you Mr. Darcy" She told him. He nodded.

"You are welcome" He replied. He turned and went to his own chambers. Mrs. Bennet had told her this would happen, that later, after her maid was dismissed and she was dressed for bed, he would return.

"Such a lovely gown" Mira told her, unlacing the stays. Lizzy made a noise in assent. Mira had pulled out another beautiful white night gown. Lizzy had never seen it before. It fit quite well, and was so soft. Mira held out a matching dressing gown, made of the same silken material. She then took out the elaborate hairstyle Mrs. Bennet had insisted upon, deftly braiding her long brown hair into a plate.

"Is there anything else you will be needing ma'am?" She asked. Lizzy shook her head.

"No, I thank you" Lizzy replied. Mira left, curtsying at the door.

Lizzy was at a loss of what to do now. She sat upon the ornate vanity seat, and looked through the drawers. On the top of the vanity sat an ornate silver brush set. Inlaid with emeralds, and what appeared to be sapphires, they had a beautiful rose pattern etched along the jewels. She noticed with a slight shock that they bore her new initials, ED. Having seen the brushes, she wandered about the room, wondering what else was there.

She found dozens of new things amongst her old ones. She was struck at the great lengths that Mr. Darcy had apparently gone through to ensure her comfort. Feeling faint, she stumbled into her new bed, and promptly began to sob.

A door away, in his Masters chambers, Mr. Darcy was pacing the floor. He was unsure as of what to do. He knew that he would not consummate their marriage tonight; she was in no condition to do so. He was aware however, that mothers usually told their daughters what to expect on the marriage night, such as their husbands arriving at their doors. He did not want to insult her either.

So he decided to speak with her instead. But first, he would need some help from the kitchens.

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Armed with a tray of hot chocolate, and pastries, he knocked quietly on her door.

"Enter" He heard her say. Her voice sounded different. He opened the door and immediately noticed her tears. She had been crying, again. She was sitting upon her bed, dressed in a beautiful white night dress, looking absolutely terrified. Her expression went from terrified, to mildly fearful and confused as she noted his tray.

"Mr. Darcy" She stood and smoothed out her nightdress.

"Elizabeth" He nodded. "You may call me Fitzwilliam, or William, anything but Mr. Darcy, please," He begged.

"Alright" She whispered. She was confused as to why he was here with food. Was this part of the marriage bed?

"Shall we sit in the sitting room?" He asked, gesturing to a door. She nodded and allowed him to lead her to the hidden room. It was papered in gold and cream, with several plush cream settees. He placed his tray upon the table, and motioned for her to sit.

"Elizabeth, you have not eaten anything all day. Please, eat something, I beg you" He held out a pastry for her. It looked to be raspberry. She was reminded of that day, two weeks ago, when he had asked her to eat the very same thing. She learned later that she had probably been in shock, that the sugar in the pastry would have helped her regain her senses.

"I am not hungry, thank you Mr. Darcy" She replied.

"Humor me Elizabeth" He asked.

"I am not a fan of raspberry," She told him. He seemed to wince. He plucked up another from the tray.

"Lemon cake?" He asked. He tried several more variations before she finally caved and took a small bite from an apple tart. She was surprised to find that the flavors had returned to her. She polished off the tart before taking a small sip from her hot chocolate, something that was considered a delicacy at Longbourne.

"I am confused as to why you are here Mr. Darcy" She stated when she could take the silence no longer. "Is it custom to eat before consummating a marriage?" She asked. She noticed that he colored slightly. She was sure that her own cheeks were quite red by now.

"Elizabeth, I do not wish to consummate our marriage tonight" He told her. She felt something akin to relief, and sadness in his statement. He reached forward and grabbed her hands in his own. "You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you," He whispered.

She gasped at his words. He could not gauge her reaction, so he continued.

"I am aware that you do not return the sentiments, but I want you to know that I do love you, most ardently, and that I shall endeavor to make you as happy as possible, starting with getting you back to the person I met in Hertfordshire. I will not hurt you further by forcing myself upon you Elizabeth" He told her. She had tears in her eyes. "Do not cry Elizabeth, please," He begged. He was utter rubbish with crying women.

"I am sorry, I cannot help it," She told him. "I admit, I do not known what my feeling for you are, we are strangers in most aspects of our lives. I do believe that I could love you someday." She whispered. And for now, it was enough.


	12. Miss Darcy Stutters

The next morning dawned gray and dreary. Rain pounded against the roof, and the wind danced across the windows. Elizabeth awoke from a surprisingly lengthy night of sleep. She was not haunted by her dreams, giving her a boost of energy, and happiness. She remembered Mr. Darcy professing his love for her, and her own profession of sorts. She stretched, and stood, looking about the room before pulling the bell for Mira.

Mira scurried in seconds later, apologizing. Lizzy felt herself smiling faintly.

"It's no matter" She replied. "I believe I shall wear the jade green morning dress today" She told the girl. The dress was not something she had brought herself; it was a piece of her new wardrobe.

"A beautiful choice ma'am" Mira told her, pulling out the dress. Once she was laced in and buttoned up, Mira set about clasping a simple pearl necklace around her neck, and began to brush out her hair. Her hands were tiny, leaving Lizzy to wonder how old she truly was. She couldn't be more then ten and five, yet her eyes looked older. Unable to stand it any longer, Lizzy finally caved.

"How old are you Mira?" Lizzy asked curiously.

"Ten and seven" Mira answered. "Ma'am" she added hastily.

"Have you worked here long?"

"M'whole life, ma'am" Mira replied. She blushed and looked down. "My sister is Miss Darcy's handmaid, my parents used to be tenants. They perished in a fire when I was just a babe. The late Master Darcy gave Mrs. Reynolds leave to raise us, as she had no little ones of her own. I used to be a cleaning maid, but Mrs. Reynolds gave me this position when Master Darcy wrote to her last week" Mira finished tying a piece of lace in her hair. She pulled out several pearl pins.

"You speak remarkably well" Lizzy commented.

"Mrs. Reynolds was once a governess. She taught me everything she could" Mira told her.

"Do you read?"

"Whenever I find time" Mira replied. She added the last pin and handed Lizzy the mirror from the table.

"Do you like it?" She asked, gesturing to the elaborate style.

"Yes, thank you Mira. Perhaps you could show me where the breakfast room is?" She asked. Mira nodded eagerly. As they walked through the corridors, Mira was quick to point out everything of import, from pictures of past Darcy's, to priceless family heirlooms. After a maze of doors, stairs, and hallways, they reached the room.

"This used to be just a sun room ma'am, but Miss Darcy liked the windows so much that we now serve breakfast here instead of the dining room" Mira told her.

It wasn't an extremely large room, but she could imagine how well it would look when the sun was actually shining. Mr. Darcy sat at the head of the table with a cup of coffee and the morning print.

"Ah, good morning Elizabeth. I quite forgot that you would not know the way to the breakfast room. Thank you Mira" Mira curtsied before leaving.

"Good morning Mr. Darcy" She stated.

"You seem well this morning Elizabeth" He commented as he helped her navigate the food laden table.

"I slept wonderfully Mr. Darcy, it was refreshing" She told him honestly.

"I am glad to hear it," He said. He stopped her hand as she reached for an orange colored pastry.

"I would recommend against that particular pastry. It is quite spicy, and not so good in the morning" He told her.

"If it is not so good, then why is it served?" She asked.

"Georgiana is quite fond of the things on the right, while I am quite fond of the things on the left" He informed her. "We shall have to determine what best suits you, and assign you the middle"

"And where is Georgiana? I should very much like to meet my new sister" Lizzy asked as he pulled out her chair for her. He sat down again at his chair.

"Georgiana often rises early to eat, before retiring again to sleep. She shall awaken in a few hours to play the piano. You shall meet her then" Mr. Darcy replied. He was pleased to see her take a few bites of a pastry, before trying a different one. He watched in fascination as she scrunched her nose at the blueberry tart, and grimaced at the eggs. She seemed to enjoy the bacon and the toast the most.

"If there is something in particular you enjoy for breakfast, I shall ask the cook to prepare it for you for tomorrow" He told her.

"No, this is plenty good" She replied, crunching on a piece of bacon. She flushed, but he only laughed.

She was surprised to hear his laughter; he had such a pleasant, carefree laugh. After finishing breakfast, she sampled his coffee, which she found to be most bitter. He again smiled at the face she made. She settled with traditional tea, and stole half of the paper from him, as she was wont to do with her father.

"Shall I give you a tour of the grounds?" He asked as she finished her tea. She smiled and nodded eagerly. He offered his arm, and set about showing her the massive estate.

They ended the tour in the library, where she promptly gasped. She ran her hand lovingly over the covers of several first editions.

"It's beautiful," She told him.

"As are you," He told her. He had not meant to be so obvious in his attraction, but he was unable to stop the comment before he said it. She blushed and looked down. "Georgiana should be awake by now, if you wish to meet her"

"Of course" Again she took his arm and allowed him to navigate through the halls and stairways. As they approached, she could hear the music. It was sad. Mr. Darcy opened the door, and allowed her to enter first. They did so quietly, so as to not disturb the playing.

Sitting at the most ornate piano Elizabeth had ever seen was a tall blonde. From behind, her blonde curls fell all the way to the bottom of her back. She wore a light purple dress. Beyond that, Elizabeth could not tell anything else.

As the last chord played, Mr. Darcy cleared his throat. The girl startled, and turned about in her seat. At the sight of her brother, whom she hadn't seen in three months, she quickly abandoned her seat, and ran.

"William!" She cried, wrapping her arms about his shoulder. Mr. Darcy smiled, an honest to god smile, and swung her around. "I have missed you so much brother" The young girl stated. Elizabeth guessed she was no older then 16. She had Mr. Darcy's bright blue eyes, although hers were more open.

"As I have missed you. Now, Georgie, this is Elizabeth, my wife" Mr. Darcy drew her closer, until she was almost in his arms. "Elizabeth, this is my sister, Georgiana"

"It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Darcy" Elizabeth said politely. Georgiana flushed pink and nodded.

"Georgiana, sweetling, Elizabeth has stated what a pleasure it is to meet you. Perhaps you should return the sentiment" Mr. Darcy prodded gently. She was surprised at the level of adoration he treated his sister with. They were obviously quite close.

"I ap-pol-logize" She stammered. She was flushing darker now, her eyes drawn down in shame. "It is a- a pleas- sure as well to- to meet you Miss Elizabe- No, Mrs. Darcy" She finished.

"You may call me Elizabeth, or Lizzy, since we are now sisters" She told the poor girl. She was obviously ill at ease with strangers.

"You may call me Georgie, or Georgiana" She said faintly, no traces of a stammer.

"Georgie it is" She said with a smile. "Perhaps you could help me with my pianoforte. I am afraid I play quite dreadfully" Georgiana smiled genuinely at this. She looked to her brother for approval.

"May I?" She asked. Mr. Darcy smiled and nodded. Elizabeth had already put Georgiana at ease, and with such kindness too. He was loath to deprive them of their bonding.

"Of course. Shall I go attend to business, or am I welcome to stay and listen?" He inquired. Georgiana smiled and swatted his arm.

"Of course you are welcome William!" She told him. "Is-is h-h-he not Lizzy?" She asked, suddenly worried.

"You are welcome to do as you please Mr. Darcy, this is your home after all," She said.

"Our home Elizabeth" He reminded her. Georgiana blushed and set about finding a duet as they stared at each other. "What is mine, is now yours. Although this room is mainly Georgiana's, so she may forbid me if she pleases" Lizzy smiled at his attempt of a joke.

"I must warn you that I do not exaggerate, my playing is dreadful," She told him. He sat down on the settee, and stretched.

She walked back to Georgiana, who was trying to decide between two duets. Lizzy noticed their complexity, and sighed.

"Perhaps you can play while I sing," She suggested. Georgiana readily accepted. After a few songs, a servant came in with an express for Mr. Darcy. He excused himself seconds later. Georgiana stopped playing then and sighed.

"Shall we call for some tea?" Lizzy asked, seeing the disappointment in her eyes. Georgiana nodded and allowed Lizzy to ring for tea. A few minutes later a maid came in with the cart. Lizzy poured for them.

They spoke of pleasantries for a few hours, until Georgiana retired to change for the evening, dinner was fast approaching. Lizzy made it back to her own chambers, after getting lost a few times. Mira was waiting for her with a maroon dress laid out. Once she was dressed, and her hair was done, Mira departed, and Mr. Darcy knocked on her door.

"You look beautiful Elizabeth" He complimented her.

"Thank you Mr. D-, William" She amended.

"Shall I show you the way to the dining room?"

"I believe I should be quite lost without your guidance sir" She smiled. He smiled back and offered his arm.

That night, he showed up at her door again, hot chocolate in hand.


	13. The Darcys Get to Know Each Other

Their nightly meetings over hot chocolate became a routine. Every evening without fail, he would show up with his tray. They would spend hours discussing everything and nothing.

"I wish to know everything about you Elizabeth" He had stated.

"Perhaps we should play 20 inquiries" Lizzy suggested. It was Lydia's favorite game to play with the soldiers.

"I have not played since I was a lad" Mr. Darcy admitted.

"I shall start then" She stated. "What is you favorite color?" She asked. He smiled at the basic question.

"Blue. I wish to ask the same question" He stated.

"Green" She answered. "And your birthday?" She asked.

"The second of July, and yours?"

"The seventh of June"

They continued to play this game until they were certain they had covered all of the basics.

Within two weeks, she had regained the weight she lost, and her skin was once again brown from her walks about the Pemberely landscapes. Georgiana or Mr. Darcy would accompany her. She found the young Miss Darcy to be a sweet, albeit sad, young woman. She was melancholy, and spoke little of herself.

She was no longer haunted by as many dreams. She felt safe in the beautiful estate. She had seen the real Mr. Darcy, a young man who had been put through the worse situations in life at such a tender age, a man who guarded his feelings by adopting an indifferent manner, lest he be hurt, and her favorite side of him, a man who delighted in making her smile.

Three weeks into her married life, Mr. Darcy knocked on her door later then usual. She called for him to enter from her parlor, where she sat trying to compose a letter to Jane. Mr. Darcy entered with the usual hot chocolate and pastries, but with several noticeable differences. One, he was dressed in rather formal clothing, two he was pacing and looking quite nervous, and three, he had a rose upon the tray. Lizzy arched a brow.

"Miss Elizabeth" He stated, bowing. She smiled and held out her hand for him to kiss. She had never seen him act so carefree.

"Mr. Darcy" She replied, enjoying the playful side of him.

"Miss Elizabeth, I come to your chambers a humble man." He knelt in front of her. "I have written to your father. I must now profess how lovely I find you, how beautiful you are, and many other sweet nothings that have quite escaped me in my nerves. So to cut to the point, Miss Elizabeth, shall you do me the greatest honor of allowing me to court you?" He asked with a mischievous smile. She laughed at him.

"Are you mocking me kind lady?" He asked. She nodded.

"I would like nothing more then to be courted by you, my husband, sir" She managed to say through her giggles.

"Ah, witty as ever!" He exclaimed. He was thrilled that she playing along. "A rose, for the lady" He passed her the beautiful pink flower. "I thought of quoting Shakespeare, but I know you find poetry fatal to courtships"

"I am glad" She told him, twirling the beautiful rose in her hand.

Mrs. Reynolds, who was privy to the slight discord between the master and the mistress of the estate, was the one who suggested to Mr. Darcy that he should try woo-ing the new Mrs. Darcy, as if they had not been forced to marry.

For a month he courted her as if they were not already married, walking about the gardens with Georgiana as a chaperone, sneaking kisses upon her hand, etc. However, he soon decided that buying her small gifts was a much better idea. He delighted in the look upon her face as she tore open a package, whether it revealed her favorite book, or simply a new piece of lace, she was always delighted.

One particular evening he presented her with another piece of jewelry. She recognized the black velvet box as such, and wondered what it could be. She gently pried the velvet top off, revealing a beautiful choker necklace. It was heavy, dark silver. It met in the front with what looked to be a crest of some sort. Hanging from the crest was a large peridot stone.

"Tis beautiful" She whispered, admiring the intricate metal work, and the large seemingly raw peridot in the middle.

"It was supposed to be your wedding gift, but the maker took longer then expected to fix it" He told her. She lifted up her hair, and motioned for him to clasp it about her neck. "It is a tradition in the Darcy family to present the bride with this choker. The silver is over 300 years old. It is passed from mother, to son. Each time it is given to a new wife, the stone is to be changed" He told her. She took her looking glass to examine what she now knew to be the Darcy crest.

"I chose the peridot to match your eyes" He told her. "Do you like it?" Blinking away her tears she nodded.

"I love it" She told him honestly. She fingered the necklace again, a thought coming to her. "What stone did your mother have?" She asked.

"An emerald. She was very fond of emeralds" He told her. He had not yet spoken much about his parents.

"Like the necklace you gave me before the wedding" She prompted. He smiled faintly at her.

"She loved that necklace. It has been in my family for even longer then that" He gently touched the crested necklace.

"Tell me about her, please" Lizzy asked of him. There was something in her eyes that made him speak.

"She looked quite similar to Georgiana, but not so tall. She was softer somehow, yet loud and opinionated, much like yourself" He smiled at her. "She always had a weak disposition. My father married her for her dowry. She was the daughter of an Earl. The Darcy family is an old, wealthy, untitled family. Marrying an Earl's daughter brought us more prestige."

"They did marry for love?" Lizzy asked.

"They barely tolerated each other for over two years" He chuckled here. "But then my mother became with child."

"So it twas you that brought them closer?" Lizzy asked after he paused. He was silent for a few more seconds.

"No, twas the loss of three children before birth, and the stillborn death of two elder brothers" He told her sadly. She took his hand in her own, willing some of her strength to him. "I was born 9 years into their marriage. My mother recovered for nearly 5 months. My childhood was filled with happiness, do not let the tale beguile you, my mother loved my father and I dearly. She would always take me outside to frolic in the grass, or to swim in the pond. My father informed me when I was older that she had suffered two other miscarriages after I was born. When I was 14, Georgiana was born. I remember being ushered into the birthing room, Georgiana was still crying. My father held her on one side of the bed, she was rather loud as a child. My mother was on the other side of the bed, I could see the blood, but I was too young to understand fully. She was weak. She told me to watch over my sister, and to come give her a hug. She passed away in my arms."

"I'm so sorry William" She told him.

"It wasn't your fault Lizzy dear" He replied. "When Georgiana was 8, my father passed away. The two of them were never close, my father could not bear to look upon her without seeing my mother. All their loss and pain, it brought them closer. After she died, he was never the same. It took him 6 years to die of heartbreak"

"They must have loved each other very much" Lizzy murmured.

Lizzy knew she herself was falling fast in love with Mr. Darcy. After meeting Miss Darcy, and hearing some of the tenants remark about their beloved master, she was positive that Mr. Wickham had been spreading deceit.


	14. Mrs Darcy has a Revalation

**Okay, so this is re-edited. I realized a few mistakes that I hadn't corrected for the timeline and whatnot. It shouldn't effect the plot that much, but just to be clear, I'm moving this chapter back a few weeks. Here's a rough timeline so far**

**End of September is Mr. Collins Attack**

**Married in mid October**

**This chapter is the beginning of January**

**Thank you so much for reviewing! You guys are the best! After this chapter it's going to get more lovely dovey, but in this chapter we see a major issue resolved! I hope you like it!**

It was eleven weeks into their courtship that the bridges they had built came tumbling down.

It was a dreary afternoon in Derbyshire. Christmas had come and gone, leaving the Darcy's stranded in Derbyshire from the copious amount of snow. Despite being the first holiday season away from her family, Lizzy was happy to say she had enjoyed her time in her new home. Lizzy and Georgiana were sitting in the music room, having tea. They were discussing the dress Lizzy had worn at her wedding some 8 weeks prior.

"I was very sad that you could not make it to the wedding" Lizzy told her. "But I am glad that it was not a lasting illness" Georgiana looked confused.

"I-I, was not sick" She murmured. Her voice trembled. She hadn't stammered so much since she first met Lizzy. "Did my brother tell you that I was unwell?" Lizzy felt horrible now, the poor girl was close to tears. "He- he just wrote to me the day after, informing me that he was married"

"Oh, I am sure it was a simple misunderstanding Georgiana" Lizzy coaxed. She had dug herself a hole here.

"No, he does not trust me. He is ashamed of me" Georgiana hiccupped. "It was only a small mistake, and now I am to be haunted by it forever. He truly must hate me"

"I am sure it was nothing you did. Our marriage was quite quick. We were engaged for only a fortnight" Georgiana looked up and started crying anew. Lizzy was perplexed. She hesitantly wrapped an arm around the younger girl and pulled her in closer. To her surprise, she did not resist. Georgiana had never allowed Lizzy to hug her, only her brother.

"Georgiana, please, whatever is the matter?" She asked. The young girl continued to sob. "Georgiana, we are sisters now. As such, we tell each other everything. Do you not trust me?

"Of course I trust you!" She exclaimed, breaking from the embrace.

"Then tell me what ails you. You are such a talented young girl, yet you are constantly shrouded by grief. And what is this about William hating you? Surely you know that he loves you"

"William is the best of brothers" Georgiana exclaimed. "But he is much elder, he is more of my father I'm afraid." She looked as if she were to sob again. "I, I made a mistake"

"A mistake?" Lizzy asked. Georgiana hung her head and nodded.

"I was tricked into believing myself in love. I agreed to elope with him, to Gretna Green!" Georgiana exclaimed. "William came to visit me the night before we were to leave. He, he gave me a necklace of my mothers, told me how proud he was of the woman I was becoming. I told him everything then, I was so ashamed. He was so mad. He accused my fiancé of marrying me for money. He, he was marrying for money, he told me himself. I thought it was a lie, so I went to beg him to take me to Gretna Green, I loved him so much. But he was horrid, he struck me, and William saved me again. I was distraught after it, William never once left me alone for months." Georgiana spoke so rapidly that she had trouble following along. Once she was done, a thought struck Lizzy.

This was the same story that Mr. Darcy had told her in the cave. The cousin was really Georgiana.

"Twas it at Ramsgate?" Lizzy asked quietly. Georgiana looked up startled, and nodded.

"Did William tell you?" She asked, suddenly afraid that Lizzy's opinion of her would change.

"He told me a story of his cousin, a girl of 15. I believe he was alluding to you however," Lizzy told her.

"He does not want me to suffer for a childhood mistake," Georgie whispered. "I should have listened. He told me Wickham was no good" Lizzy looked up, startled.

"George Wickham?" She asked.

"You know him?"

"He was in the militia stationed in Meryton, my hometown" Lizzy told her.

"Which is why William lied about me being sick. He was protecting me from Wickham, again" Georgiana despaired.

"He is very good at protecting" Lizzy murmured.

She told Georgiana of her own sad tale, to which the young girl wrapped her arms about her. She felt as if she had known her new sister for ages. She departed from the music room in search of her husband. She had apologizes to make, and a new page to turn.

xoxoxoxox

He was in a bad mood. He had planned on listening to his wife and Georgiana play the piano after tea, but an urgent letter from his steward had changed the course of his afternoon.

He sat for over an hour, staring at the offending pieces of parchment. He did not wish to take part in the estate work while his wife sat smiling upstairs. He thought about how happy she had looked today. She had the same look in her eyes that she had before Mr. Collins. And she was warming up to him. Courtship had been an excellent idea; he would have to think of a gift for Mrs. Reynolds.

A knock threw him from his musings.

"Enter" He called in his Master of Pemberely voice. Elizabeth entered.

"Am I disturbing you?" She questioned, sitting lightly on the chair opposite his desk. He shook his head.

"I was just thinking about you," He told her. She flushed and looked down. "Is there a reason you came to visit?" He questioned. She nodded. Her gaze remained fixated on her lap.

"I am so sorry William," She finally blurted out.

"Sorry? Whatever for?" He asked.

"I horribly misjudged you," She said, looking down. Tears landed in her lap. He walked over to her seat, and gently coaxed her chin up to look at him.

"Elizabeth, I am lost," He told her.

"Wickham" She stated. "I believed his lies. I was so vain; I was insulted that you had insulted my vanity, so I looked for the bad in you. And then you saved me from that horrid parson, and I still did not see the true you. I am so sorry William" And thus she began to sob anew.

He was confused as to what had brought this on. He realized that Georgiana must have confided in Elizabeth, leading her to realize that Wickham was lying. But had she not seen the real him in the seven weeks they had courted for? Was that all for naught?

"Elizabeth, look at me" He commanded. She looked up. Her eyes were red rimmed, and her cheeks were flushed in shame. "Have the past weeks been for naught? Did you truly believe Wickham's lies until today?"

She shook her head.

"On the day we wed, I asked Jane what she thought. The kindness you treated me with after I was attacked, and the selfless way you sacrificed your own happiness so that I did not end up with that toad, it all made me question my judgment. And then the first week I was here, I saw how shy Georgiana was, and how unlike she was to Wickham's description. I heard the esteem in which your tenants spoke of you, and I knew he had to be lying. Until today, when I told Georgiana that I was sad she had missed the wedding, which led to her admitting everything to me and mentioning Wickham, I had completely forgotten about him" She told him in truth. "But I feel ashamed knowing that I had believed him"

"Elizabeth, what is in the past, is in the past. I was a dreadfully rude gentleman in Hertfordshire, and I did nothing to help those rumors. I love you, please, do not trouble yourself so" He pleaded. She sucked in a breath and nodded.

"William, I think I lo-" She was cut off by a hasty knock against the door.

"Enter" Darcy called, stepping to intercept whomever it was. It was a messenger, with an express. He looked at the seal and frowned. He closed the door again, and quickly broke the seal, reading through the contents of the letter. He sucked in a breath.

"William?" She was at his side in an instant. "Whatever is the matter?" She asked. He took her arm and led her to the settee in the corner of his study. Once they were safely sitting upon it, he took her hands in his own. "William, you are scaring me," She whispered, dreading whatever news the express held.

"It's from my Aunt," He told her. Her eyes widened and her face paled.

"From Lady Catherine?" She asked. He nodded. "It has news, of him?" She trembled slightly.

"He has been wed," He stated. Lizzy's eyes widened in surprise.

"To whom?" She demanded.

"I'm so sorry Elizabeth," He told her. " He wed Miss Lucas


	15. Miss Lucas Made a Mistake

**Thanks for all the reviews! Much appreciated!**

**I think Charlotte would need to be a little insane to marry Mr. Collins. She is also OOC. Extremely. **

She did not know what to think. Her friendship with Charlotte had been a bit strained since her marriage, they had had a bit of a falling out, but surely Charlotte would never lower herself to marrying Mr. Collins?

"Are you sure?" She whispered. He nodded sadly.

"Has she not written to you?" He asked.

"We had a falling out, a fight really, before you and I were wed. She refused to believe that Mr. Collins had tried to compromise me."

"Miss Lucas, well, Mrs. Collins included a letter for you." He passed her the small piece of parchment.

"I cannot read it," She told him. "Will you read it aloud, please?"

"Of course, if that is what you wish" She nodded and he broke the pale wax seal. The letter was not particularly long.

"_Dear Lizzy_" He read,

_"I know this will shock you, but I am now a married woman. I should have informed you earlier, but I could not find the courage. It was a small ceremony, just family. Do not blame Jane, she knows as little as you. I am deeply sorry about our last meeting. Rest assured I have since forgiven you. It is ironic that our lives have thus turned out. I once had no hope of marrying for love, while you decreed you should only marry for love. And now I am the one married to the man I love, with all my heart, while you married that arrogant man to save yourself the shame. It is my understanding that the Darcy's come to Kent for Easter, I am sad to say that Mr. Collins and I shall be still on our honeymoon in Bathe. I am inconceivably happy, I hope you shall be half as happy in your marriage as I am in mine. Although that is quite unlikely, I wish it all the same. Much love, Mrs. Charlotte Collins" _He finished, shaking in anger.

"Lizzy?" He questioned, looking towards the figure of his young bride.

"I do not feel so well," She told him; she was trembling. Tears were falling down her cheeks yet again. She tried to stand, but swayed dangerously. He quickly stood and caught her before she fell. He lifted her in his arms, intent on carrying her to her chambers. To his surprise, she wrapped her arms him, resting her cheek against his chest.

He carried her up the two floors to her chambers. As he went to put her down upon the bed, she refused to let go of his shirt.

"Please, stay" She begged. He nodded, and instead sat them down against the headboard, shoes and all. She sagged against him, her sobs muffled by his chest. He contented himself with rubbing small circles upon her back.

"It will be okay Elizabeth," He whispered. She nodded against his chest. She felt so betrayed by Charlotte. She had told Charlotte the truth, but Charlotte had simply laughed it off.

_"You need not tell me this falsity Lizzy, dear, I am your friend, I understand. Mr. Darcy is a very powerful man, but you needn't marry him. Mr. Collins has told me of your love, and of his romantic proposal. Oh, it sounded so marvelous." Charlotte had said._

_"Charlotte, I am not lying. Mr. Darcy has saved me quite literally"_

_"Oh Lizzy pish posh. You always scolded me for not thinking to marry for love, and look at you! Marrying another man, when you had a perfectly romantic proposal at your feet. Mr. Collins would have married you still, in spite of your compromise, but you chose to be practical and save yourself the shame"_

_"Charlotte, think of what you are saying. Do you not see the bruise upon my cheek, nor the scratches beneath my sleeve?" Lizzy showed her the marks, but Charlotte pushed her away._

_"This is getting quite ridiculous Lizzy. I believe you simply do not want to live with the shame of what you actually did with Mr. Darcy to get those bruises" Charlotte spat. _

_"Believe what you will," Lizzy stated after several terse moments. "I cannot believe this is truly you Charlotte, whatever have you done to my best friend?"_

_"Best friend?" Charlotte looked at her, angry tears in her eyes. "You come crying to me about how dreadful it was to have a man who loves you propose marriage, and then proceed to go capture Mr. Darcy with your charms and force him to marry you! I should be so lucky as to receive one proposal of marriage from the poorest man in London!" Charlotte was delirious now. There was a mad look in her eye that she had never seen before. "You do not know how lucky you were Lizzy, to have a man of the cloth, the man who is set to inherit your fathers estate, offer marriage to you! But no, that was not enough, you had to have Mr. Darcy as well"_

_"I cannot believe the things you are saying Charlotte. I never asked for this!" Lizzy was almost in tears. She had hoped to find comfort in her best friend, but she could see she would find none._

_"I cannot believe you either Lizzy. I cannot stand to be in your presence any longer" And with that, Charlotte walked out of the parlor. _

Lizzy told Mr. Darcy the whole, sordid tale, sparing no details. At the end, he hugged her closer to himself.

"I am so sorry Lizzy, you never deserved this mess," He murmured. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. She twisted about in his arms, looking up at him.

"Thank you William, I do not think I deserve such a husband as you," She whispered. She yawned after saying this, causing him to chuckle.

"Rest Elizabeth, you've had a trying day," He told her. She nodded, and agreed with him. He went to remove himself from the bed, but she stopped him.

"Please" Was all she needed to say. He gently unlaced her slippers, before sliding his own boots off. He resumed his position of sitting against the backboard, while she cuddled against his side. He pulled the thick knitted blanket around her small frame. Within minutes, she was fast asleep against him.


	16. Love Actually

**Thanks so much for the reviews! I hope this chapter is fluffy enough as it really has no other purpose! Enjoy!**

She woke up pressed against a very warm, and very hard pillow. She was startled when she realized it was in fact a person, not a pillow. She knew it had to be her husband. He was still sitting halfway against the headboard on top of a pile of pillows. She was nestled against his chest, his arm draped across her, and her leg hitched around his thighs. She could feel the warmth radiating from him, resisting the urge to curl up against him again.

She gently untangled herself instead. He looked so much younger when he slept, his face was devoid of his ever present worry lines. His hair, which had grown rather long, was a mass of loose, dark curls. His mouth was parted slightly, his breath steady. She was surprised to see the spec of drool at the corner of his mouth, she had to surpress a giggle.

She felt drawn to him. She reached out a hand and gently brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. His skin was much softer then she had imagined. Having not disturbed him from his rest, she felt adventurous. She caressed his cheek, running her hand lovingly across the same smooth skin.

He awoke to a warm hand running through his hair. A second later the same hand was gently caressing his cheek. The hand was decidedly female, soft and small. He dared not open his eyes, lest it all be a dream. He heard her sigh softly.

"Oh William" His wife murmured gently. Her hand was still resting lightly against his cheek. "I can't believe how blind I've been." Her hand found its way to his hair again, "Let me not to the marriage of true minds. Admit impediments. Love is not love, which alters when, it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove: O no! It is an ever-fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken; it is the star to every wandering bark, whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken." She stated. He would have laughed at her use of poetry, had he not been shocked in to silence.

A few moments later, he regained his senses, and "woke up."

"Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks within his bending sickle's compass come: Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, but bears it out even to the edge of doom. If this be error and upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever loved." He finished her previous sonnet. She gave a small gasp in surprise.

She was startled to hear him speak, and even more so when he completed the sonnet for her. Had he been awake as she stroked his face? She looked up upon him. His blue eyes were slowly blinking open.

"Is it past dinner?" He questioned.

"Dinner?" She asked dumbly. He smirked at her now.

"Yes Elizabeth, dinner. Do you suppose we slept through it?" She looked to her window, where the blinds hadn't been drawn, and noticed it was still fairly light. She determined it was around 6, perhaps 7. That meant that had slept for four hours.

"I do no think we did," She told him.

"Then we best get dressed, do you not agree?" He questioned. She looked at him, a quizzical look upon her brow, for he was acting quite strange. She was not yet 100% used to a carefree Darcy.

"Of course" She replied.

"Elizabeth, you have to remove your hand from my head," He said gently. She felt her face flush. Her hand was still atop his mop of curls. She quickly withdrew it with a sheepish smile. He got out of the bed then, helping her stand.

"I shall return in a half hour to escort you," He told her. He brought both his hands to her face, and kissed her forehead gently. "All shall be well, you will see" And then he left, leaving Lizzy feeling weak kneed.

True to his word, he returned promptly, thirty minutes to the dot. She had dressed herself in a simple dinner dress, a maroon one with gold thread. She saw no need to call for Mira on such short notice. She plaited her own hair, and pinned it up in a simple bun. She was putting a golden hair comb into her bun when he waltzed in without knocking.

'Oh, Mr. Darcy, do come in. Make yourself at home" She joked. She was rewarded with a smile. She loved when he truly smiled, it showed off his dimples.

He approached her at the vanity, and took the comb from her. With deft hands, he quickly secured the ornate piece; she could feel his hot breath against her neck. She felt herself flush again at his presence.

"Are you ready?" He asked. She nodded.

Georgiana was waiting for them in the parlor. She smiled at the two of them.

"You look beautiful Lizzy," She told her.

"As do you Georgie" Lizzy replied. Georgiana was quite fond of pastels; tonight she wore a pale blue dress. She reminded Lizzy of Jane.

At the dinner table, William brought up Lizzy's family, the Bennet's.

"I was thinking that perhaps you should like to see your family again," He told her. She hadn't seen them since the wedding. "Perhaps they would like to visit, and see your new home"

"I should like that very much, thank you William," She said, smiling her brightest at him.

"May I meet them as well?" Georgiana asked. She had been silent through the first few courses.

"Of course" Lizzy instantly replied, then looked quickly to her husband for approval. He appeared to be terse, but acquiesced.

"I look forward to meeting your sisters Lizzy"

The rest of dinner was spent describing the four Bennet sisters in great detail.

"Perhaps I could persuade you two to take a turn about the gardens with me. The stars and moon look quite promising tonight" Lizzy stated, looking out the window of the music room. After dinner they had retired to this room to play and sing.

"It is much to cold, you two go" Georgiana stated, turning her attention back to the piano. William smiled and agreed. She grabbed a shawl from her room, before joining him in the gardens. It was mid January, and it had snowed yesterday.

" It is quite lovely tonight" She commented as she laced her arm through his. He nodded in agreement. They sat down upon a bench in the garden, turning to each other.

"Are you sure you are okay Elizabeth?" He asked, referring to Charlotte's shocking betrayal.

"I am hurt that she did not believe me, and I am worried for her" She admitted. "Perhaps he shall treat her kindly. I pray that she will be happy" she turned her attention to him. "I am sorry to be such trouble William"

"You are far from it Elizabeth" He told her softly. They were only inches apart. Her lips looked so inviting, so tempting. "May, may I kiss you Elizabeth?" He asked. She nodded, he transfixed her. He moved in slowly, so slow that she almost certain he was drawing it out. Her lips met his; they were warm and soft against him. He brought a hand up to cup her cheek. After several more blissful seconds, they broke apart to breathe.

She felt light headed, dizzy. His kiss had sent her mind reeling. She smiled as she blushed; he was staring intently at her. He smiled impishly back when he realized he was staring.

Their gaze held, before their lips were once again upon each other. There was a certain fervor to their movements, a frantic need to be closer. He pulled her onto his lap, and she wrapped her arms about his shoulders, tangling her hands in his hair. He hesitantly poked his tongue at her lips, begging for entrance. She happily obliged him.

They broke apart with a gasp.

"I love you William, truly I do," She told him, breathless. His smile lit up his whole face. He lifted her from the bench and swung her about in his arms. She laughed until he finally released her.

"I love you too Elizabeth" He whispered, bending to kiss her once again.


	17. Mr Bingley Finds His Courage

**Thanks for the reviews! I love to hear what you think. Ignore the random date that begins this chapter, it just allows me to follow the time table I have set in my mind! Enjoy!**

January 22nd, 1812

She woke up in his arms. They had not consummated their marriage yet, but had decided that sleeping together was far more comfortable then sleeping alone. She twisted in his arms, so that she could look upon his face. To her surprise, he was already dressed, and watching her.

"Good morning darling" He said with a smile.

"Good morning" She replied, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. "Why are you dressed?" She questioned.

"Mr. Elders had urgent business this morning" He stated, referring to his steward, "Also, a letter from Jane has arrived." He held out the piece of paper. After several kisses, his payment for the letter, he finally relinquished it to her.

She read through it quickly, and then gasped.

"Mr. Bingley proposed!" She stated happily. He smiled at the news.

"You knew, did you not?" She accused. Her smile made her fake anger obvious. He smirked and nodded.

"It took him two weeks to ask," He admitted. Both shared a laugh at the expense of their friend.

"Jane writes that mama wants a long engagement. They plan to wed next year" Darcy nodded next to her.

"Charles wishes to settle his affairs, namely buying an estate. I believe he is to buy one rather close to here, about an hours carriage ride"

"Oh, that would be lovely!" Lizzy exclaimed. "May we visit them soon? Please?" She begged, looking up at him from under her lashes.

He was powerless to her puppy dog expression. Georgiana was quite skilled at it, and it appeared his new wife was even more so.

"Charles has extended an invitation for us to visit during the Easter holiday." Darcy revealed.

"Oh, we cannot go then, we have plans to travel to Kent, to see your Aunt" Lizzy said sadly.

"I am quite displeased with my Aunt as of late, therefore I believe we shall spend the holiday with your family instead. Georgiana shall be quite pleased to meet them" Lizzy smiled largely and launched herself at her husband, engulfing him in a hug.

"Oh, but what of the militia?" Lizzy asked. "As much as I love my family and would love to see them, I do not want Georgiana to be in harms way, nor do I wish for my silly sisters to hurt her further as they were quite enamored with Wickham"

"Colonel Fitzwilliam shall be joining our party. As for Wickham, Georgiana has given me leave to inform your father about his actions. I will also inform Captain Forrester, as well as the shop owners. Tis something I should have done when I realized he was in the town"

"His actions are not your fault" Lizzy reminded him, gently kissing his brow. "Mr. Wickham is his own person, in charge of his own actions. You did not force him to act as he does"

Mr. Darcy had heard it all before, but coming from his wife, it was something different. He smiled gently at her, and thanked her for her encouragement.

"Oh, but Easter is so far away" Lizzy sighed.

"I know love, but the snow is not safe for carriage travel yet, besides we are supposed to still be honeymooning" He reminded her. It was true, he had taken nearly half a year off of his usual work schedule to spend time with her.

"Easter shall come soon enough" He reminded her.

"Come, let us tell Georgiana about the wedding!" Lizzy leapt from the bed and pulled Mr. Darcy up. In her haste, she nearly forgot that she wasn't quite dressed for the day. With a laugh, Mr. Darcy pointed it out to her.

"Lizzy, dear, you may want to get dressed" He said with a tight smile. It was getting harder and harder to resist her tempting form. She was utter perfection beneath her thin silk nightgown. Last night she had pressed against him in her sleep, driving him mad. This morning she kissed him, bringing fire to his blood, and then pulled away. He was struggling to maintain a gentleman like attitude around her, when all he wanted to do was toss her upon the bed and have his wicked way with her!

"Oh, of course" She blushed as she noticed her semi sheer lilac nightgown. "I will meet you outside in ten minutes!" She told him quickly as she dashed into her dressing room, looking around frantically for a morning dress. She did not want to waste time calling on Mira, when she would have to dress for the day after breakfast anyways. She hastily dressed in a cream and brown colored dress, which only required a sash to be tied in the back to stay in place. She slipped her naked feet into a new pair of satin slippers, before rushing out the door again.

He was waiting for her against the wall. He smiled when he noticed the slippers.

"She will be ecstatic that you are wearing them" He told her. Georgiana had decided to surprise her new sister with the slippers, which were an ornate Indian design. Fitzwilliam had procured them in London for her to give as a welcome gift. Lizzy had taken to them at first sight, and once she learned of their comfort, she wore them constantly around the bedroom.

"Come, let us tell her the good news!" Lizzy grabbed his hand once more, and resumed her carefree run down the hall. Georgiana's room was a corridor away, on the East side.

"Georgiana" Lizzy called, knocking on the door. A few moments later a groggy Georgiana Darcy opened the door, dressed in a frilly pink morning dress, her blonde tresses messily plaited down the back.

"Oh, good morning Lizzy, brother" She smiled shyly. "Why are you here?" She asked. She was fully dressed, but had just woken up from a nap after breaking her fast, as was her wont.

"We are going on an adventure!" Lizzy announced. She led Mr. Darcy into his sister's sitting room, pulling him down onto the settee with her. As her much elder brother, he was accustomed to seeing his sister's room. She hated to be alone when ill, or when a summer storm struck.

"An adventure?" She asked, looking to her brother. "To where?"

"To the wild, uncouth Meryton wilderness!" Lizzy announced, a smile upon her face. "Where the inhabitants are barely tolerable, and the match making mamas are on the prowl like lions"

"The prowl?" Mr. Darcy questioned with a snort.

"Like lions." She stated, glaring playfully at him. "And everyone knows who the Queen Lion is, as she has married off two daughters to wealthy men! She deviously plots out her plans, preying on innocent wealthy young marriage men. Just recently she succeeded in affiancing her daughter, a gentle, beautiful, -" Lizzy faltered for a second, "rabbit, to the equally gentle spaniel down the road"

"A rabbit and spaniel Lizzy, really?" Darcy was laughing at his wife's antics. Georgiana was engrossed in her words though. "I suppose a spaniel does describe Charles, but a rabbit? Seriously?"

"A cute little bunny rabbit" Lizzy proclaimed. Georgiana laughed. "We shall be traveling forth for Easter, to celebrate the engagement!"

"So we are going to your home Lizzy?" She asked. Lizzy nodded in excitement. Georgiana squealed in a most unladylike manner before wrapping her arms about her sister.

"Will we stay with them?" She asked. Lizzy shook her head.

"Tis not enough room" She told her. "We will stay with the Bingley's" Georgiana paled.

"Miss Bingley?" She asked. Lizzy smiled and nodded.

"She is not so bad" Lizzy told her. Georgiana cringed. Mr. Darcy patted her shoulder gently.

"We shall have to get new dresses for Easter" Georgiana stated, looking slyly at her brother. He smiled and nodded.

"Of course." He agreed. "We have several months before Easter Georgie dearest." Georgiana looked saddened. It was only January after all.

"Shall we head into Lambton today? The snow should be cleared and the sky is brightening" He suggested.

They both nodded in assent, happy smiles upon their faces. Mr. Darcy excused himself to take care of the carriages and such while Lizzy finished getting ready with her sister.

Hours later, after dinner was served and Georgiana had retired to her piano, the couple sat outside on a large deck, watching the stars. It was a cold evening, but it was dry. The Pemberley landscape was beautiful in the moonlight, which reflected off of the snow.

"I have to go to London for a few days for business" He told her, carefully watching her expression. She seemed saddened by his news.

"I knew you would have to leave eventually," She told him, smiling slightly. "Do not fret, I am quite capable of taking care of myself," She told him. "When do you leave?"

"On the morrow" He replied. "I will return on Saturday"

"Can I not go with you?" She questioned.

"In time yes, I hope that you will always accompany me. But the roads are still too dangerous for carriages, I will be riding horseback. And I ask that you would watch over Georgiana, as we are still awaiting her new chaperone" Lizzy nodded in agreement.

"I will miss you," She told him, wrapping her arms about his person. He leaned into her embrace, inhaling the enticing aroma that was rosewood and something else.

"As I shall you," He replied kissing her lips gently. He pulled away and looked into her soulful eyes.

The next morning he gently untangled himself from her limbs. Her nightgown had ridden up in the night, exposing a silky smooth leg to his sight. He sighed and resisted the urge to stroke said leg. He left the room and dressed, returning only minutes before his departure to kiss her goodbye.

She was still asleep, her brown hair a tangle of curls around the pillows. He bent gently over the bed and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

"I love you Lizzy. I shall be back soon," He whispered.

"I love you too William" She replied, her voice thick with sleep. He smiled, she was barely awake. He kissed her lips, surprised that she was awake enough to respond in kind.

"I must go now Lizzy," He whispered, removing her arms from their resting place atop his back.

"Be safe," She told him, curling back into her pillows and warm blankets.

He was at the door when she called his name.

"Mr. Darcy?" She asked, looking at him from half opened eyes. He turned and arched his brow.

"Yes Elizabeth?" He asked, confused.

"When you return, I wish to consummate our marriage" She told him, before settling back against the bed. He was left shocked, standing in the middle of the doorway. She seemed to have fallen back asleep. He could not believe what he heard.

The way she had looked at him, under heavy lidded eyes, the salacious curve to her lips, the faint blush upon her cheeks as she uttered that statement left his breeches uncomfortably tight, and his mind curiously blank. Surely she would be the death of him.


	18. Mrs Darcy Worries

Lizzy awoke and found herself blushing at the thought of what she had told her husband this morning. She could not think of where the words had come from! She had been to wanton! She smiled at the thought of his face, even she could see the undeniable desire there. Her thoughts kept her quite occupied as Mira brushed out her hair and dressed her for the day.

Once she was settled in the breakfast room, alone because Georgiana had already eaten and gone back to bed, it hit her. She had absolutely nothing to do today! Mr. Darcy had been spending as much time with her as possible, since they were supposed to still be on a honeymoon. He had promised her that they would take a real honeymoon in the futre.

"Mira?" She called. She knew that the young maid would come running. Mira appeared a second later.

"Yes ma'am?" She asked, slightly breathless.

"Is it still raining? I should like to take a walk" She told the girl. Mira shook her head.

"Mrs. Darcy, it has stopped raining yes, but it will be a few more days until you can venture outside" Mira said. Lizzy didn't understand, she wasn't afraid of a little mud. She told Mira just that. Mira smiled slightly.

"Derbyshire is not quite like Hertfordshire ma'am, the rain freezes upon the ground" She told her. Lizzy tried not to groan. Of course, Derbyshire was quite far north, and it was January.

Ice could be a dangerous thing.

In the end she settled on writing long letters to her sisters. Jane's was full on congratulations on her engagement, endless questions about the wedding, and useless little sentences about her trivial day.

To Mary she discussed a sermon she had heard a week prior. She wanted Mary's opinion on what a certain passage had meant.

For her youngest sisters she wrote just one letter, knowing that only Kitty would both reading it. In it she discussed the latest fashion trends, her newest gowns and lace, and other trivial fashion bits.

Her father's letter was filled with her joy in her marriage. She knew that he worried about her happiness. She also demanded a play by play of Mrs. Bennet's reaction to the engagement.

Georgiana joined her later for tea, and the two then retired to the piano room to entertain themselves.

The next day Lizzy spent in bed. She had woken up in the middle of the night covered in sweat, her head pounding and her throat raw, she immediately called for Mira, who panicked and called the doctor.

With the ice and snow, it took the doctor nearly an hour to arrive. When he did he felt her cheeks, her forehead, and looked down her throat. In the end, he pronounced it a simple cold. He instructed Mrs. Reynolds, who Mira had woken up, to apply cold compresses to her forehead until her slight fever subsided. Georgiana came to see her around midday. The poor girl looked frightened.

"Lizzy?" She whispered. Lizzy laughed, causing her to wince in pain.

"Oh Georgiana, come in dearest. It is but a silly cold. Poor Mira assumed the worst last night." Lizzy assured her. Georgiana smiled faintly and sat on the edge of her bed.

"I sent word to William in London" Georgiana admitted after a second. Lizzy held in a groan. He would be worried. "I told him not to worry, that I would make you feel better!" Georgiana laughed. "It seems Mrs. Reynolds did all the hard work though"

"I wasn't that ill!"Lizzy protested. "My fever broke only an hour or two ago. Poor Mrs. Reynolds was asleep on her feet"

"Shall I bring you something to eat? Some tea perhaps?" Georgiana asked.

"Tea would be lovely" Lizzy replied. "Thank you dear"

When Georgiana arrived Lizzy had dressed herself in a simple morning dress, and plaited her hair down her back. Some color had returned to her cheeks.

"I hate being ill!" Lizzy announced. "Come, let us take the tea in my sitting room, and you can tell me all about something trifle and entertaining!"

Lizzy was nearly back to her old self the next day, but Georgiana seemed to have caught the bug. Poor thing was much more fevered then Lizzy, and spent the day asleep. Lizzy sat with her until her fever broke as well, then left her to slumber in peace. At her insistence, another express had been sent to Mr. Darcy, to assure him all was well.

"Mrs. Darcy?" Mrs. Reynolds asked, walking into the sitting room on the west wing of the third floor.

"Yes?" Lizzy asked, looking up from the book she was reading on the window seat.

"You shouldn't sit so close to the window after being sick ma'am" Mrs. Reynolds told her with a stern glare, and a gentle smile. Lizzy laughed, putting the book down.

"I shall move closer to the fireplace then" She sat next to the woman infront of the table.

"I have the menus for tomorrow for you to look over" The older woman said kindly, spreading out the sheets she had carried in. Lizzy looked over the menu and smiled. It featured all of William's favorites. He was coming home tomorrow.

"Perfect. Thank you Mrs. Reynolds" She told her. "What was the courier for earlier?" She asked, referring to the mysterious delivery that had arrived after tea.

"Mr. Darcy had a few things sent up from London" Mrs. Reynolds replied. Lizzy nodded, he would explain further when he got home.

"What time do you expect him to arrive?" Lizzy asked. She pestered the woman nearly everyday over this question. Lizzy herself had never ridden from London all the way north to Derbyshire.

"He should be home before nightfall" She replied. "He planned to leave today, and to stop along the road for the night." Lizzy nodded.

"Thank you" She replied, watching as the older woman walked out. She had a bad feeling about something.

She couldn't sleep that night. She was restless, tossing and turning in her empty bed. She had grown accustomed to sleeping with him next to her.

The next morning she took extra care in preparing her toilette. Mira elegantly twisted her hair into a pretty looking bun, securing the creation with a simple pearl clip. She dressed in a new jade and cream-colored dress; along with the jade necklace he had given her over their courtship.

"Good morning Georgiana" Lizzy said pleasantly as she joined the younger girl in the music room for tea. Georgiana had also spent more time getting ready this morning. Her long blonde hair hung loose to her waist. Her cream colored dress making her look younger, like an angel. She was still pale, and her voice was rather throaty, but the fever had passed, and her head no longer throbbed.

"Good afternoon Lizzy" She whispered.

"It has rained nonstop for three days" She told her, worried.

"All will be well" The older woman tried to assure her. She nodded. They continued their false giggles and jokes until the sky grew darker yet.

"I shall go find Mrs. Reynolds" Lizzy announced. Georgiana nodded, moving closer to the window, as if she would be able to see her brother's approach.

Mrs. Reynolds was bustling about the kitchens. She scolded Mrs. Darcy for worrying when Lizzy worried aloud about her husband.

"Hush now child. He will be fine" She assured the younger woman. Lizzy was unconvinced. She returned to the music room to find Georgiana still looking out the window.

The hour for dinner went by, and a few more after it. The feast they had prepared for his homecoming sat untouched on the tables. It was much too late. Lizzy and Georgiana went to find Mrs. Reynolds. The older woman looked admittedly worried.

"Something's wrong" Lizzy stated seeing the woman's face.

"It is late" She admitted.

"Can we not look for him?" Georgiana pleaded. "William is always here when he says he will be here, something is wrong," She pleaded.

"Gather some men" Lizzy told Mrs. Reynolds. "Light the lanterns, torches, whatever it takes. Search the main roads leading here" Mrs. Reynolds nodded and started yelling out directions.

"Come, let us wait in the front room" She led Georgiana to the room closet to the foyer, and sat down on the couch. Georgiana laid her head upon her lap. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

"Sshh, do not cry Georgie" Lizzy tried to soothe her. "All shall be fine dearest," The words sounded hollow, even to her.

After another hour, Georgiana was asleep against her.

She could not even close her eyes, in fear of what could happen.

She heard voices in the foyer just after the clock had struck twelve. Careful not to disturb Georgiana, she hastily scrambled out the door and down the stairs to the main entrance. Several mud-laden stable boys stood about, lanterns half out. A few more were still straggling through the door. At the end of the line were three men. The middle one was being supported by the other to. With a gasp, she realized who it was.

"Oh god" She gasped, "Fitzwilliam!"


	19. Fitzwilliam

**Thanks for all the reviews! Much appreciated! This chapter is going to be rated M at the end, don't read if you don't want to. Enjoy!**

He was soaked to the bone and quite cold. Mr. Reynolds and a stable boy were insistent that they help him into the house, despite his protests. He wasn't injured, physically at least for his pride most definitely was. Mrs. Reynolds was passing out blankets to the men who found him when he heard it.

It was a mix between a strangled sob and a gasp. He looked up to find his wife staring down at him in horror. Her eyes were wide, and quite red. She was still dressed in a dinner gown, even though it was much too late.

"Fitzwilliam!" She cried, running down the remaining steps, and into his arms. He staggered against the sudden weight but righted himself before they both fell. She could feel the dampness of his clothing seeping into hers, but at the moment she didn't care. She sobbed against his chest, thankful that he was truly well.

"Mr. Reynolds, Harris, thank you for your help. I bet Mrs. Reynolds made a delicious meal for my homecoming, please help yourselves and all the others to it" He addressed them. "I have to tend to my wife" He dismissed them looking over Lizzy's head. She was still wrapped about him.

"Come on love" He staggered up the stairs, tired and weak. Together they gently woke Georgiana who hugged her brother tight before disappearing to bed.

"You're shivering" Lizzy noted. "We have to get you into dry clothes" She led him to his chambers, where his valet waited for him.

"I'm all set Adams, go to bed' Darcy told him, clapping him on the back. His faithful valet had filled a warm bath for him. "Lizzy dear, you're quite soaked through. Please, go change into your nightclothes. I won't be long," He told her. She did not relinquish her hold around his arm however, so he wrapped her up into a hug.

"Lizzy?" He nudged her gently, prodding her to look up at him.

"You are bleeding," She whispered. She broke out of his embrace and grabbed a hand towel off the table. She dipped it in the water basin and gently dabbed at his bleeding forehead. "What happened?" She asked after a second.

Darcy smiled. Despite her worry, Lizzy was innately curious. She had to know what happened.

"I made it to the outer limits of Lambton when a tree came down in the path in front of Cavallo. He bayed, and I fell off into the bramble. Well it so happens that I ended up rolling down a small incline. It took me awhile to gather my wits. I had to sit out the worst of the storm in an alcove with Cavallo once I had calmed him down enough. We rode as quickly as possible here, as I know I was late. I rode him to hard; Cavallo is not as young as he once was. He went down just inside of west entrance. I may have hit my head against the stone work there," He told her. "Which is how Mr. Reynolds found me"

Lizzy laughed quietly despite the situation. Mr. Darcy had told her how Mr. Reynolds used to be the stable head, until he retired from that last spring. As a lad, Mr. Reynolds had taught him everything he knew about riding. She stopped laughing as she realized how lucky he had been to only have gotten a small scratch and not a crushed limb from the horse.

"You could have been crushed" Lizzy told him, pressing herself against him again. She buried her face in his chest. She was not accustomed to acting like this, but the thought of him seriously injured caused her fit of nerves.

"I am well Lizzy" He assured her. "But I am wet, and you are quite soaked through yourself" He hinted. She nodded and pulled away from him.

"I will be back soon," She told him before rushing out the door. She hastily called upon Mira to draw her a bath, apologizing for the late hour. She was covered in dried mud. Mira sleepily drew her a bath, before exiting quite swiftly upon her dismissal. Lizzy would have to remember to thank her tomorrow. She soaked for a few moments before scrubbing the dirt from her body.

"And to think I spent so much time this morning doing the exact thing" She said to herself as the water washed away the lilac and rose water she had bathed in earlier.

Once she was clean, she hastily dried herself off before slipping in the nightgown Mira had laid out for her. It was a new one; it looked to be from Town. The material was a dark forest green, with a sheer lace bodice, and thin shoulder straps. She pulled the dressing gown on over it, not that the silky cream material was much thicker. She slipped her feet into the matching slippers, before brushing out her brown curls, letting them frame her face. She had no patience to tame them tonight.

It was barely 30 minutes later that she returned to his room.

He was sitting on his bed in just a pair of breeches, toweling out his wet curls. She walked into the room unannounced, and again, gasped. He looked up at her, noticing how well she wore the new nightwear he had purchased for her in town, and saw that her eyes were on his chest. He looked down and saw what she did, bruises from the fall, and numerous scrapes.

"Fitzwilliam" She whispered, the second time she had ever uttered his given name fully. He stood and grasped her hands, bringing them up to cup his face.

"I am fine Lizzy," He said for what seemed to be the tenth time that evening. Tears welled up behind her lashes, so he impulsively kissed her.

They kissed until they were both breathless.

"I love you Lizzy," He told her, kissing her softly.

"I love you too Fitzwilliam" She whispered, kissing him back.

**Warning, this is where it gets M rated. Never written something like this so be warned.**

Tentatively he led her to his bed. She undid her dressing gown, exposing her thin nightgown to his view, giving her silent consent. He sat her on the bed, bending down to take off her slippers. He kissed her ankle as he did so, earning him a surprised gasp. He smirked and kissed a little higher. Her gasp this time was louder.

He stood from his position at her feet, and leaned in to kiss her.

He moved closer to her, kissing her soundly upon her lips, pressing her down against the bed. She kissed back with equal ardor, her arms encircling his shoulders. He gently slid her back against the pillows, looking down into her lively eyes. They displayed an emotion he had never seen before.

She was enthralled with the lusty look in his eyes, the way he seemed be devouring her with his gaze. He broke the trance to kiss her forehead, then her cheeks, down to her neck.

He kissed her neck as his hands caressed her breasts above the silken material of her dress. He kissed down the length of the silky material, until he reached her feet. He kissed and nipped his way up her legs, bringing her gown up with him as he went.

She whimpered against the pillows, warmth spreading like fire throughout her body. His kisses, his nips, his licks, all made her head swim. She twisted her hands in his hair, willing him to return to her lips.

He held her up with one hand as he gently removed the rest of her clothing, leaving her bare to his appraisal.

"So beautiful" He whispered before attacking one breast with his mouth while his hand tended to the other.

"Oh" Lizzy couldn't help the whimper and moan that escaped from her lips. She flushed, but her moans only seemed to push him further into a frenzy. Heat pooled at the apex of her thighs, the warmth growing uncomfortably hot, and her stomach coiled.

"Untie my breeches, love," He told her as he supported himself above her body, again kissing her neck. With shaking hands she struggled to undo the laces. She finally succeeded and pushed them down his thick legs, admiring the fine hair adorning them.

He kicked the rest of the material off, and pushed it off the bed to land in a pile with her own. He trailed kisses down her bare skin, stopping at her most intimate parts. His warm breath upon the sensitive skin had her squirming and whimpering. He slipped one lone finger into her sex, kissing her inner thigh.

She moaned loudly, desperately willing his finger to do something more.

"Does that feel good Lizzy?" He whispered, inserting another finger into her sex, pumping slowly in and out. She withered in pleasure.

"Please" She moaned. Her hands were clutched in the sheets, her husband too far from her reach. He withdrew his fingers slowly, running them up her torso, dripping in her own essence. He positioned himself above her.

"Look at me Lizzy" He whispered, kissing her cheeks, her lips, her nose. She looked deep into his blue eyes as he slid into her.

The feeling was entirely foreign to her. There was pain, but it quickly ebbed away into something more pleasurable. She raked her nails across his back, pulling him closer.

"Oh God, please," She moaned, arching against him. He moved at a steady pace, his hand disappearing into her slick folds, rubbing against her with his thumb, sending dizzying waves of pleasure through her body.

"Lizzy" He moaned against her neck, sucking the soft skin there. "Wrap your legs around me," He told her, thrusting deeper into her. She gasped in delight at the sudden change in angle.

She moaned his name as her muscles spasmed out of control. As her walls clenched around him, he gave in to his own pleasure. She felt the warmth as his seed spilled within her.

He rolled off of her, pulling her sweaty body against his own. She cuddled against his, her hand languidly stroking the taunt skin beneath.

"I love you Fitzwilliam" She murmured, her voice sleepy.

"I love you too, Mrs. Darcy," He told her. She smiled; he had never called her that before.


	20. Miss Lydia Causes Strife

**Alright, the next chapter skips a few weeks ahead. It is now the springtime in Englad. Thank you all for the reviews! I hope you like this chapter! I think this story is going to run about 30 chapters perhaps one or two over that. I promise that Charlotte and Mr. Collins will be making an appearance, just towards the end.**

Chapter 20- Easter with the Bennet's

13 weeks passed before they had to leave the comforts of Pemberely to travel to Meryton for Easter.

13 blissful weeks spent in the warmth of their bed left Lizzy wondering why on Earth most women seemed to hate the marriage bed. She could scarcely bring herself to untangle her naked limbs from her husbands own in the morning. If it was not for Georgiana, Lizzy was quite sure they would have spent all their time wrapped around each other.

It took two long days to reach Hertfordshire. Lizzy found that nearly everything was the same as she had remembered, and yet it was different. It was no longer her home. She found herself comparing Longbourne to Pemberely, with Longbourne coming in last.

They had decided to stop quickly at the Bennet household before going to Netherfield. They exited the carriage to see the Bennet family waiting eagerly on the porch. Mr. Bennet and Jane left the porch to greet the Darcy's.

"Papa! Lizzy called, embracing the elderly man in a tight hug.

"Oh, Lizzy, how I've missed you my dear" He sighed. He broke the hug to shake hands with Mr. Darcy. Lizzy meanwhile threw her arms around Jane.

"Mr. Darcy, welcome back" He stated.

"Mr. Bennet, it's a pleasure to be back" Mr. Darcy said truly. "May I present my younger sister, Miss Georgiana Darcy, Georgiana dear, this is Mr. Bennet" He bowed while Georgiana hastily curtsied.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Darcy," He stated.

"Georgie, this is my elder sister, Miss Jane Bennet. Jane, Miss Georgiana Darcy" Both smiled gently at each other, curtsying.

"Please, call me Jane"

"And you may call me Georgiana" All traces of her stutter were gone now, thanks to Lizzy's presence.

"Come, let us introduce you to the rest of the family." Mr. Bennet interrupted. Mr. Darcy directed the carriage to bring their stuff back to Netherfield, and then to return for them.

Mrs. Bennett eagerly embraced her daughter, not waiting for an introduction to the unknown young girl. She was much to excited in seeing her daughter dressed in such finery.

"Mama, may I present my new sister, Miss Georgiana Darcy. Georgiana, my mother, Mrs. Bennet"

The excited woman threw her arms about the younger girl, saying how happy she was to meet her, and how she considered her to be a sixth daughter. Georgiana blushed but accepted the hug.

"And this is my first younger sister, Miss Mary Bennet" Mary nodded in acknowledgement.

"And Miss Katherine Bennet"

"You can call me Kitty," The younger girl said with a smile. She was the closet in age to Georgiana.

"Papa, where is Lydia?" Lizzy asked suddenly. Mr. Darcy noticed the absence of the youngest Bennet as well.

"Oh, it is most fortunate my dear Lizzy" Mrs. Bennet interjected. "Lydia has been taken to Brighton with Mrs. Forrester, Captain Forrester's wife!"

"With the militia that was here last spring?" Lizzy asked. Her face had gone pale. Mr. Darcy looked concerned as well. Mrs. Bennet simply nodded and prattled on about how many eligible men Lydia could meet.

"Mr. Bennet, might we speak privately in your study?" Mr. Darcy asked. The older man looked confused, but accepted. "Do not fret my dear," He whispered as the gentlemen disappeared inside.

"I am going to show Miss Darcy the gardens," Lizzy stated, stopping her mother mid rant. "Jane, Kitty, Mary, shall you join us?" Kitty and Jane agreed to go, while Mary deferred. Mrs. Bennet bade them haste, as tea would be served soon.

"How long ago did Lydia leave?" Lizzy whispered quickly to Jane.

"A week ago" Jane replied, confused. "What ever is the matter Lizzy?" Lizzy stole a glance towards Georgiana who was listening to Kitty go on about her recent needlework. The conversation seemed innocent enough.

"Kitty, will you show Georgiana the swinging bench? Despite everything Pemberely has, it lacks a swinging bench such as ours" Kitty happily agreed. Georgiana cast Lizzy a worried look, but Lizzy smiled in what she hoped would be an encouraging manner.

Lizzy and Jane took the time to sit under a large oak tree. Lizzy hastily informed Jane of Mr. Wickham's transgressions, leaving out the names and such. Jane gasped in horror.

"Oh, Lizzy, this is horrible. We all know that Lydia's favorite of the militia was Mr. Wickham!"

"Mr. Darcy will inform Papa of the problem, Lydia will be sent for immediately" Lizzy hoped and prayed that what she was saying would be true.

"Oh, I hope so" Jane looked so despondent that Lizzy changed the subject, faithfully hoping that her husband would fix the situation with her father's aide. "So, how is Mr. Bingley?" Jane blushed, but smiled, telling Lizzy all about the newest gossip and such.

Fifteen minutes later, Georgiana and Kitty returned, wildflowers threaded through their hair, bonnets hanging from their necks, and skirts caked in mud. Georgiana had never looked happier though.

"Aren't they pretty Lizzy?" She asked. Her and Kitty each held another crown in their hands.

"You look like wood nymphs" Lizzy replied with a smile.

"We made you each one" Kitty told them. "And one for Mary, not that she will wear it"

"May I?" Georgiana asked, approaching Lizzy with the crown of daisies and little pink buds. Lizzy untied her bonnet and allowed her to place the crown atop her curls. Jane allowed Kitty to do the same, although Kitty was already halfway to untying Jane's bonnet when Jane told her she could.

"There, now we all match" Kitty announced. Her crown was all pink, Georgiana's was a wild mix of all the flowers Lizzy knew to grow around the bench, and Jane's was pure purple.

"You look like fairies," Mr. Darcy said with a small smile as he walked out the back door. Georgiana smiled and approached him with Mary's crown, made out of the same flowers as Lizzy's. She placed it atop his curls with a giggle. Kitty looked shocked when he actually smiled and swung her about.

"You look ridiculous William" Lizzy pronounced with a smile. "I look much better in mine"

"You always look beautiful dear" He replied in a teasing tone. Lizzy felt herself relax as his eyes met hers. But she wanted to know what her father and he had talked about.

"Jane, will you take Kitty and Georgiana inside? I'm sure mama will love to hear your piano skills Georgie, and Jane is really a much better singer then I" Georgiana looked apprehensive but allowed the elder blonde to take her hand and lead her inside. Kitty cast a suspicious look at her sister and her brother in law before following the other two inside.

"Shall we walk?" Mr. Darcy suggested. She allowed him to tuck her arm under his own, and set off at a leisurely pace.

"Your sister left for Brighton with the militia 8 days ago, as a personal guest to Mrs. Forrester. Captain Forrester vouched for the characters of his regiment, including Wickham. I informed your father about my history with him, and as I left his study, he was drafting a note to Mr. Forrester to be sent express"

"Is he going to get her?" Lizzy asked urgently. Lydia couldn't possibly come back alone. "He isn't fit for such a long journey"

"Watkins will go with one of Longbourne's stable hands, Carlson I believe. His sister will travel with them as well" Watkins was Darcy's valet in training. Adams, his usual valet, was given leave to visit his family in London for the holiday.

"Henrietta" Lizzy told him. "She is the younger girl's hand maid"

"They will leave after the holiday" He said quietly.

"So long?" Lizzy asked. He nodded slowly.

"Tis unfair to tear them from their families love, but the express to Mrs. Forrester and the additional one to Col. Forrester bears the truth in Wickham's nature."

"I know, I am just worried. Thank you William" Lizzy stopped their walk and turned to embrace him tightly.

"You are very welcome. It is only two days my love, and Captain Forrester will have the truth by tonight" Lizzy nodded. "Now, come, it is unfair to leave poor Georgiana in the presence of your mother for this long without us" He teased.

They did not stay long with the Bennet's. As they pulled up the drive to Netherfield Hall, the Bingley family stood waiting to greet them, just as the Bennet's had done. Georgiana took several deep breaths to her sibling's amusement.

"All will be well Georgie" Her brother assured her. Mr. Bingley stepped forward to help Georgiana and Lizzy down, before jokingly offering Mr. Darcy his hand. Darcy scowled, stepping down by himself. He cheerfully clapped his old friend on the back.

"Nice crown Darce, it really brings out the blue in your eyes" Charles joked. Darcy, to the surprise of no one, turned red about his ears. Georgiana laughed, while Lizzy at least tried to hide her giggles.

"I think he looks lovely, Mr. Bingley. Perhaps I shall ask Miss Bennet to make a matching one for you" Georgiana teased. Mr. Bingley laughed and bowed to her with a smile.

"Welcome to Netherfield Miss Darcy" Mr. Bingley said happily. "I quite think the crown suits you better" He re-introduced Georgiana to his sisters, and Mr. Hurst. Georgiana flushed pink but managed to hold her stutter with the imposing Bingley sisters. She seemed much more at ease around Mr. Bingley.

"Mrs. Darcy, you look radiant" Bingley stated smiling at a healthier version of the Elizabeth Bennet he had last seen. "I see you too have a crown. I must say that I feel rather put out"

"Thank you Mr. Bingley." She laughed warmly at the man who was to be her brother in law. She turned to the rest of the party. "Miss Bingley, you look lovely today" She complemented the orange clad woman who had barely even greeted her earlier. "And Mrs. Hurst, what a lovely shade of green" Lizzy did rather like the jade colored sash about the older woman's waist. Mrs. Hurst smiled, murmuring a quiet, thank you Mrs. Darcy. Caroline pulled herself up straighter and plastered a large smile to her face.

"Thank you Eliza" She retorted. "May I call you Eliza? We are to be sisters after all," Caroline said haughtily.

"I would prefer Mrs. Darcy" Lizzy replied, dragging out the syllables. "There is something in the manner of which the words flow from the mouth, is there not?"

"Indeed Mrs. Darcy" Her husband japed from beside her. He had removed his crown of flowers and placed it on his friend's head, who looked quite proud. Miss Bingley smiled tightly at the Darcy's, frowned at her brother, and refocused her energies on Georgiana. They begged leave to freshen up before dinner, all three hastily making way to their rooms.

Miss Bingley had assigned the rooms it seemed, and without Charles's knowledge. Georgiana and Mr. Darcy had rooms next to each other, while Lizzy's was placed several rooms down, and on the opposite wall. Mr. Darcy mused that Miss Bingley had gotten cleverer, as she could blame the staff for this simple mix up in assigning Georgiana and Lizzy rooms. Therefore Mr. Darcy had the pleasure of dragging his wife's belongings down the corridor and into his own chambers while she bathed for dinner. Georgiana watched amused for a few moments before she too left to get ready.

By the time Mr. Darcy was finished, for his wife had brought quite a lot of things, Lizzy was already finished bathing. Since they now were sharing the same room, she was making do without her handmaid, as Mira could not travel with them, and she did not trust Miss Bingley's maids.

"You are positively dripping in perspiration my dear" Lizzy laughed as he walked into their room. She was sitting on the bed, dressed only in a sheer dressing gown.

Needless to say they were a little late to dinner.


	21. Mrs Darcy Has Her Fun

The next morning dawned bright and sunny. Mr. Darcy awoke to find his darling young wife straddling his waist. Conveniently, she was completely naked.

"Good morning Fitzwilliam" She all but purred.

"Hmmm, it is indeed good morning, is it not Mrs. Darcy?" He questioned, leaning forward to kiss her tantalizing lips. With a laugh she moved her head, so that his kiss was bestowed upon her cheek. He playfully growled, rolling them over so that he was now kneeling between her legs. She gasped, and laughed again.

"That was not very polite Mr. Darcy" She admonished, running her fingers across his chest.

"I apologize my love" He smirked, leaning down to actually kiss her this time.

She ended her little game then, for she was too taken with desire to continue her teasing.

Miss Bingley gave them a queer look when they arrived in the breakfast parlor, flushed and smiling. Georgiana smiled and greeted them with hugs.

"Good morning Miss Bingley" Lizzy greeted cheerfully as Mr. Darcy pulled out a chair for her. He set out making her a breakfast plate as well.

"Good morning" She refrained from addressing her as anything Lizzy noted. "Good morning Mr. Darcy" She called a little louder. Her husband sat down with his two plates.

"Good morning Miss Bingley. I must compliment you on the breakfast spread, that was very kind of you to remember Georgiana's favorite tarts" Mr. Darcy replied politely. Caroline was shocked by his compliment, he had never done such a thing. He always ate silently, never taking the time to notice that she had arranged for all of his favorite foods.

"I quite enjoy the spicy little tarts myself" Miss Bingley replied, happy to have a chance to converse. Perhaps Mr. Darcy wasn't too happy in his marriage? Her thoughts were shattered as she witness Mr. Darcy playfully feeding his wife off of his own plate. Of course, she was scandalized at such behavior but secretly jealous at the same time. She had to change the subject, bring his attention back to herself. She sat up straighter, and pushed out her chest.

"I trust you slept well?" She asked loudly. Georgiana nodded politely, as she was still eating her tart.

"Quite well. The bed in the grey room is quite comfortable" Lizzy replied, looking directly at her. Lizzy noticed Georgiana trying not to giggle. Lizzy's original room was yellow, and Mr. Darcy had the grey room. Miss Bingley's smile tightened a bit more, if it was even possible.

"I am glad" She replied tersely, suddenly desperate to leave. She put her tea cup down, trying not to cry in anger. "If you'll excuse me, I must finalize the Easter menu for tomorrow." She swept out of the room in a swirl of orange muslin and feathers.

"Georgiana dear, could you pass me the sugar?" Lizzy asked. Georgiana couldn't restrain herself and burst into laughter. Even Mr. Darcy smirked.

"Lizzy that was dreadful" She told her. "Her face flushed the color of a strawberry!"

"What? I complimented the room" Lizzy smirked back.

"The room in which I was supposed to be, alone" Mr. Darcy replied.

"We're married dear, surely Mr. and Mrs. Hurst share a bed"

"I do not believe they do" Charles stated, walking into the room. He sat down with a cup of coffee. "Although, Louisa is my sister, so I do not think I wish to know anyways" He made an odd face. "And since I am to marry Miss Jane, I do not believe I wish to know where my future sister sleeps either"

The Darcy's had the decency to blush, while Georgiana laughed. Dealing with Wickham had left her with knowledge no innocent maid should know.

"Well, if your reasoning is true, then you are about to marry William's sister" Georgiana told him. "Not just future sister"

"I do not believe you asked my permission for my darling sisters hand Charles" Darcy joked. Lizzy giggled into her tea. Charles pretended to be nervous.

"Shall we duel for her honor?" He jested.

"Swords or guns"

"I call the Colonel as my second" Charles grinned.

"I call Mr. Hurst" Lizzy quite enjoyed this joking side to her husband. His eyes would light up, his dimples would flash, and his voice grew in excitement.

"Alright, alright, enough silliness. Georgiana, I am going to town with Jane and Kitty, would you like to join us?" Lizzy laughingly asked.

"Yes, please" Georgiana smiled. "Brother, I think I left my white gloves at home" She battered her lashes at him. Charles laughed.

"I too seem to have forgotten my best lace bonnet" Lizzy added.

"Let me get my pocket book" He sighed with a smile on his face.

An hour later the four women were at the dressmakers getting alterations to their Easter gowns, for the dressmaker in Lambton had developed a fever and couldn't finish them. The seamstress was fretting over Lizzy's, which seemed to have shrunk.

"It cannot be that tight. Georgiana, are you sure this was not one of yours?" Lizzy asked, confused. They had slipped it on Georgiana, but it was much too short for her as well. It fit Kitty the best, who had always been the same shape as Lizzy. Halfway through the argument, Jane had gasped. Kitty looked to Jane, and then she too gasped.

"Oh lord" Jane whispered. She pulled her sisters closer, to avoid the ear of the seamstress.

"Lizzy, are you with child?" Kitty blurted out.

.

**GASP! IMAGINE IF I LEFT IT HERE?**

**You would all hate me**

**I'm going to be a good person though, so continue reading:**

**.**

Lizzy and Georgiana both returned to Netherfield quite nervous. They had concocted a brilliant and elaborate plan to find out if she was truly with child. So as they approached the walk, Lizzy fell with a loud and girlish shriek. Georgiana shrieked as well, yelling for help.

Lizzy lay as still as she could on the ground, the water on her brow making it appear as if she was sweating. Within minutes Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy were running from the house. She could hear William yelling at someone to call for a doctor.

"Wipe that smile off of your face" Georgiana whispered quickly. Lizzy shut her eyes and groaned as they approached.

"Elizabeth!" William was kneeling next to her. "Lizzy, what happened? Are you alright?" He lifted her in his arms.

"I must have fainted," She uttered weakly.

"We were walking and she just collapsed!" Georgiana added. "Is she going to die?" Lizzy could have laughed. Georgiana was quite the actress.

Mr. Darcy whipped his head around as his sister asked if she was going to die.

"Of course not Georgie dear" He assured her. She looked ashen. Lizzy was limp in his arms. "We've called for the doctor, he will tell us what is wrong"

"My vision is blurry" Lizzy added. "Where am I?"

"We're at Netherfield dear" Darcy told her, carrying her up the stairs. His heart was racing, threatening to burst out of his chest. Charles was right behind him. Miss Bingley had seen her collapse, but continued her drawing in the parlor with a smile on her face. They put her in the gray room, tucked under a pile of blankets. William and Georgiana both sat on the bed. Charles hovered in the corner.

"Mr. Bingley, will you write to Miss Jane and the Bennet's?" Georgiana asked. "They should be here if it something serious."

"Lizzy is going to be fine Georgie" Mr. Darcy asserted, but Mr. Bingley left none the less.

The doctor arrived ten minutes later.

"Mr. Darcy, the doctor is here" A servant told them, leading the aging gentleman into the room. They briefly shook hands before the doctor asked that Mr. Darcy leave the room. Miss Darcy was allowed to stay, as she was a female. Darcy kissed her soundly on the lips before departing, closing the door tightly behind him.

In an instant Lizzy had thrown the bedcovers off of her legs and was addressing Mr. Jones, whom she had known her whole life.

"I think I am with child," She told him. He quirked a brow.

"Miss Lizzy will you ever do anything normal?" He joked. He was accustomed to her erratic and impertinent behavior. As a small child she frequently faked illnesses to get sweets from him. She had almost convinced him that her arm was broken, just so she could get a splint.

"No, and I never will" She replied with a smile. Mr. Jones was happy to see one of his favorite little patients all grown up, and clearly happy with her life.

Mr. Darcy was pacing the hall outside the room while Charles watched.

"She's going to be okay" He assured his friend, who just nodded and grunted. Ten minutes past, the carpet getting a little thinner where he paced.

Mr. Jones exited the room.

"How is she?" He asked.

"She has a condition" Jones replied. He had been instructed on what to say. "She will be tired, have terrible aches, odd cravings, swollen body parts, and quite ill for a few months. But she get better, probably by September" Mr. Jones was fighting his smile.

"Thank you Mr. Jones" Darcy told him, shaking his hand.

"Come, I'll see you out Mr. Jones" Bingley replied. "Care for a drink?" Darcy heard Bingley asked as they turned the corner. He steeled himself to go face his darling wife.

Georgiana walked out before he could open the door. Her eyes were teary, but she smiled weakly for him. He hugged her, but pulled back when she started to laugh.

"Georgiana, god heavens, why are you laughing?" He asked, confused. Tears streamed down her face as she giggled.

"I'm sorry William" She managed to choke through. "I cannot deal with this" And she fled down the hall, still laughing like an insane person.

He entered the room to find his missing.

"Lizzy?" He called, looking around. In a blur of green muslin and brown curls, he found himself being knocked onto the bed by his lovely wife. For someone who was supposedly quite ill, she seemed perfectly healthy.

"Lizzy?" He questioned. She smirked, and pushed him against the headboard. She straddled his pelvis, grinding her bottom against his now straining breeches. "Good lord Lizzy, what has gotten into you?" She reached for his cravat and undid it quickly.

"I have a condition," She whispered as she trailed kisses down his chest while unbuttoning the shirt. She pulled it from his breeches and over his head.

"The doctor told me you would have aches"

"I ache for you" She replied, reaching around to remove his shoes.

"That you would be tired" He tried again.

"I am tired of this resistance William" She retorted, slapping his hands playfully away from her own hands, which had moved on to untying his breeches.

**M RATING- WARNING- Skip to the bottom if you do not want to read.**

"Swollen" His mind was going hazy as she had now gotten him completely naked, and was kissing her way down his stomach. In response to his latest attempt to coax the truth from her, she led his hand down to her wet folds, and let him feel how swollen she was from arousal.

"Cravings"

"I only crave you, " She told him, pulling her simple gown over her head.

"Lizzy" He groaned as she began to gently suck and nip at his manhood. She got him halfway there before he pulled her to his lips, and flipped them over.

"I want the truth," He whispered, peppering kisses across her neck, down to her breasts, where he stopped to twirl his tongue around her luscious pink nipples. He dragged his tongue down to her navel, and then to her sex.

"Lizzy" He breathed. His hot breathe against her folds caused a wave of pleasure to crash over her. She moaned aloud.

"Please" She whispered as he teasingly inserted a lone finger, his thumb lazily circling her bundle of nerves.

"Tell me what Mr. Jones said, Lizzy" He returned to her, kissing her lips, while he slowly pumped in and out with his finger.

She whimpered when he stopped completely, and then groaned.

"William I will not tell you until you sufficiently drained me of all my energy" He smirked at her stubbornness.

"Stand up" He told her.

"What?" She all but screamed.

"Come now Lizzy, where is your sense of adventure?" She complied, but grumbled as she did so. He sat down on the settee in the corner, and patted his lap. She almost laughed at how ridiculous he looked, his erect member standing fully at attention.

"Why must we do this?" She asked.

"If you refuse to tell me what the doctor said, and demand to be satisfied, I get to have my fun as well" He replied with a smirk.

"On the settee?" She asked. She figured she might as well get in all the pleasure she could before she grew heavier with the child. Mrs. Bennet had told her that once an heir was born, the relations grew further and further apart.

"Straddle my legs," He instructed. She did so and he slowly lowered her onto his member. She gasped at the deep penetration.

"Oh god" She moaned. She wrapped he legs behind his back as he effortlessly lifted her hips and slammed her back down. He stood abruptly, still connected, and carried her to the bed, where he continued to make her see stars.

**REGULAR RATING!**

After nearly an hour of satisfying their desires, they finally laid back on the bed, both breathing quite loudly.

Her head was upon his chest, idly playing with his sparse chest hair.

"What did the doctor say?" He asked again. He could feel her smile against his skin.

"Elizabeth?" he questioned again. She looked up at him with wide eyes, alight with wonder and happiness. She smiled at him.

"I am with child," She whispered, grasping his hand and squeezing it. "You are to be a father"

**Okay, so I know this is not an M rated story, so I apologize to anyone who is going to complain about it. I can't help but want to add a little smut into this story. I hope you all liked it, please view! It motivates me to actually get going on the future chapters!**


	22. Mr Darcy is Elated

**This is just a little fluff chapter, completely random. I realized I hadn't really given the reaction in the next full chapter, so here you go. I'll update again with a larger chapter on Tuesday. Enjoy! And thank you for all the reviews!**

Time seemed to stand still as she uttered those six words. Six words that forever changed his life.

"You are to be a father" She had whispered, a bright smile taking over her face. He was stunned into silence, staring at his smiling young bride. He noticed the new light behind her eyes, a spark that previously had not been there. He noticed the way she glowed as she said it, and the awe that colored her voice. As the words sunk in, a slow smile spread across his own face. He knew for sure that his loathsome dimples would be showing.

"Are you sure?" He finally spoke, his voice breathless. She nodded happily.

"In September" She told him. He laughed, he could not help it. He broke out in joyous laughter, as his wife watched in amusement. He suddenly sprung from the bed, pulling her along with him. In his excitement, he spun her about, her bell like laughter mixing with his own deep baritone.

"Fitzwilliam if you do not cease in this twirling I shall certainly be sick" She told after the fifth or sixth twirl. He stopped. She was still held tightly in his arms. He sunk down slowly against the bed.

"Imagine if anyone had seen us, twirling about naked and laughing like fools" Lizzy had teased him.

"It would not matter, nothing can ruin the joy of this day" He told her, kissing her forehead.

"Then you are happy?" She asked.

"Deliriously so" He answered. A troubled thought plagued him. "Are you not happy Elizabeth? Is this not what you wanted?"

"Of course I am" She said quickly. "I am overjoyed, but I find myself not completely accepting it yet. It seems like this is all a dream, and I never want to wake up. Sometimes I dream that this life, this perfect, wonderful life, is all just a dream, and when I wake up, I'm married to him, that lecherous, odious man" He sighed against her, and pulled her warm body closer to his.

"Oh Lizzy, why have you not told me this before?" He asked quietly, upset by her secrecy.

"I did not wish to worry you" She told him softly. "It only happens once in awhile, when things are particularly good"

"Promise me that you shall tell me the next time you dream about it"

"I promise" She turned against his chest, smiling up at him. "I love you Fitzwilliam" He leaned down, and kissed her awaiting lips.

"I love you too Lizzy" He whispered. He placed his palm against her still flat stomach. "As I love you too little one"

"Do you wish to know something funny?" Lizzy asked, placing her hand over his own against her stomach. He nodded against her neck, where his lips where bestowing small kisses.

"Of course" He murmured.

"I did not have the faintest clue until today when Mrs. Hardy was altering my Easter gown. It was completely too tight on the bodice! I could not believe that Mrs. Watson had made such a large measurement error, so I had Georgiana try it on, thinking it was hers. Well, she is so tall, that it was several inches too short on her as well. Mrs. Hardy was going on and on about bad service in Derbyshire, it was amusing actually. So then Kitty volunteered to try it on, as we were always the same size. It fit her perfectly! Mrs. Hardy then starts measuring my bust, when Jane gasps. She whispers something to Kitty, who looks at me, and gasps again. Georgie, who was holding some ribbons up to her dress, is as confused as I am. So once Mrs. Hardy leaves to gather more material that would suit the dress, Kitty blurts out, are you with child? Poor Georgiana was more surprised than I was" Lizzy giggled.

"So you then concocted a plan to give me near heart failure in order to secure the physician without rousing my suspicions?" Mr. Darcy asked with his brow raised. Lizzy flushed.

"I did not wish to raise your hopes encase it was all for naught" Lizzy admitted.

"And what of your hopes Lizzy? Would you have been disappointed?"

"I believe I would have been" Lizzy whispered. "I had never really thought about having children, I knew it was inevitable, but it had not occurred to me that I could be pregnant now. Now I find myself wanting several children" She laughed.

"And how many would that be?" He teased.

"Oh, seven or eight of course" She replied. "Hopefully not all daughters"

"Eight daughters? I shall surely perish before I reach five and forty!" Mr. Darcy proclaimed. "If it is a boy, my family has a long standing tradition Elizabeth" He told her.

"What sort of tradition?" She questioned.

"The naming sort" He replied. "If this child is a boy, we shall have to name him Bennet" She scrunched her nose.

"Bennet Darcy?" She questioned.

"Tis far better then my own name, love" He whispered. "The first son is always named after the mothers family. My father lucked out, his mother came from the last of the George family. My grandfather, whom I never met was named Thorpe, as his mother was the second daughter of Edgar Thorpe, Duke of Dunsville." Lizzy laughed.

"I suppose we can call him Ben for short, if it is a boy. If it is a girl, shall we call her Benita?"

"A little too exotic love"

"Oh well, we have plenty of time to think of names encase it is a girl. And if it is a boy we would need a middle name as well, unless the tradition extends to that as well" She pointed out. They had months to think of it, but they had a lot of things to do as well. "And we shall need to introduce me to your society in London before I start looking like a whale. I shall want to meet your family before we tell them I'm already expecting" She went on listing everything they needed to do, but he had tuned her out. He was too thinking about their future to pay attention to what society would think.

"Are you listening?" She asked, smiling playfully as she pinched his shoulder.

"Of course I am darling. You are fretting over the amount of things we shall need to do" He replied with a sardonic smirk.

"Fitzwilliam I was fretting several minutes ago, now I was wondering if we should go downstairs for afternoon tea. But if you wish for me to continue to list everything we need to do in immense details, I certainly shall"

After a minute of two of more ranting, he kissed her soundly on the lips, effectively ending her speech.


	23. Mrs Bennet is Excited

**Okay, so I feel like this story is kind of dragging, anyone else feel that way? I don't know what to do, so ideas would be very welcome! I origianlly planned 30 chapter, but I don't want to speed through her pregnancy, nor do I want to drag it out. So, tell me what you think, and as always, thank you so much for taking the time to read and review! **

Lizzy awoke on Easter morning wrapped tightly in her husband's arms, his hand resting on her nearly invisible bump. The only noticeable difference, to her at least, was the increase in her bust.

"Good morning love" Her husband whispered as she moved against him.

"Good morning William" She whispered, turning in his arms to face him. His hand now rested on the small of her back.

"Do you feel well?" He asked. She hadn't been ill in the morning yet, but seemed to be ill after tea in the afternoons. The doctor had assured her that it was normal at any hour.

"I feel perfectly well," She told him, stretching to kiss his lips. "Happy Easter darling"

"Happy Easter Lizzy" He replied.

They didn't have the time to continue their activities, so Mr. Darcy reluctantly dragged himself from the warm bed. He dressed himself in his nightclothes, before disappearing to Lizzy's old room to bathe and dress for church. Lizzy lazily stretched until she realized she would have to call a maid soon to bathe and be ready in time.

Once she was clean, she knocked on Georgiana's door. The young girl was brushing out her long blonde hair.

"Good morning Lizzy" She greeted.

"Good morning Georgie" Lizzy replied. She took the brush from her sister, and started brushing the blonde hair herself. "Which dress are you wearing?" She asked. Georgiana gestured to the pastel pink and white dress hanging on the dresser. Lizzy nodded and began to plait and twist the blonde locks into an acceptable chignon.

"Perfect!" Lizzy announced. Georgiana examined the hairstyle before nodding, and switching seats with her sister.

"Are you well this morning?" she asked, brushing out the shorter, yet still long, brunette hair.

"I wish everyone would stop asking me!" Lizzy sighed. "I am perfectly fine, albeit nervous for telling my family." Lizzy admitted. They had decided to let the Bennet's know about the news during Easter dinner. "I am sad that Colonel Fitzwilliam could not join us thought"

"Richard spent Christmas with us, it is only fair that he has to stay for this holiday" Georgiana reasoned. In truth, Richard had volunteered to travel to Brighton to meet with the party they sent to retrieve Lydia, and to threaten Wickham.

"I suppose so" Lizzy held a piece of her hair while Georgiana safely pinned it in place. The younger girl was surprisingly efficient at doing hair. She pinned little flowers in the back before finishing. Lizzy kissed her cheek.

"Thank you dear, it looks amazing," She announced. "Now, let me go get my dress, and we can tie each other into these lacey, fabric traps"

Lizzy's dress had to be almost completely re-done. The top hugged her chest tightly, then layers of material fell loosely from the sash under her breasts. The sash was light green; the rest of the material was cream satin, cream tulle, and cream lace. It was a gorgeous dress.

"Oh, you look wonderful Lizzy" Georgiana exclaimed. The younger girl's dress was white with pastel pink lace and ribbon adorning it. Lizzy tied her stays and buttoned the back. Georgiana buttoned Lizzy's up, and tied the sash gently.

"Shall we gather our bonnets and head downstairs?" Lizzy asked.

"Jewelry first" Georgiana exclaimed. A knock came from outside followed by Mr. Darcy's voice.

"Come in William" Lizzy called. He walked in with two wrapped boxes.

"Oh, Easter presents!" Georgiana remarked. "So much better then looking for those nasty eggs" William laughed as he presented his younger sister with the top gift. She eagerly torn it off as Lizzy gently removed her own wrapping paper.

"Oh, William, thank you!" Georgiana cried, wrapping her arms around her brother. Inside her box was a strand of pink pearls. She turned to Lizzy, curious as to what her brother had gotten for her. She hadn't received jewelry.

"Oh" Lizzy gasped, pulling out the tiny silver rattle. Tears welled in her eyes as she threw herself at her husband. Georgiana smiled at the sight of them. She removed herself from her room, and retrieved Lizzy's Darcy crest necklace. When she returned, the two had righted themselves. Lizzy was sitting on the bed, the rattle in her hands. Both were staring at it in wonder.

"We're going to be late" Georgiana told them. They both smiled and followed her out of the room. "Oh, I grabbed you this" She passed Lizzy her necklace.

"Thank you dear" Lizzy replied as William clasped the necklace around her neck for her.

The sun shone brightly Easter morning as the Bingley, Darcy's, Bennet's, and Hurst's made their way to the only church in Meryton. The whole town would be in attendece.

Miss Bingley was eerily silent today. She dressed in a simple white frock, devoid of any parisan lace or oriental silk. It was simple, it was meek. In other words, it was not Miss Bingley.

After the mass, the families adjourned to Netherfield for an Easter feast.

As soon as Mrs. Bennet was in proximity to her second eldest, she began praising her dress, her bonnet, and her necklace of course.

"Oh, what a beautiful necklace Lizzy! Look, Kitty, does she not look wealthy?" Lizzy would usually be bothered by such words, but smiled instead at her mother.

"Thank you Mama" She fingered the necklace, "William gave it to me as a wedding present"

"Oh, what a thoughtful man!" Mrs. Bennet searched the room for her darling son in law. "Where is that darling son in law of mine? Lizzy, where did your husband disappear to?" Lizzy searched the room herself and found her husband ushering the men out of the parlor. Lizzy smirked at his quick wink.

"The men seem to have decided to go hunting" Jane told her, sitting next to Lizzy on the couch.

Mr. Darcy could not escape from Mrs. Bennet for long. Eventually everyone was called to the dining room to feast upon the several course meal that Miss Bingley had worked so hard on.

"Oh, everything looks wonderful, Miss Bingley" Jane said kindly. Miss Bingley had been oddly silent the entire day. Lizzy briefly wondered if something had happened, but brushed that thought away as she remembered that she would have to tell her family in a few moments.

"Thank you" Miss Bingley murmured.

They dug in to the deliciously cooked ham with thyme, adorned with leafy greens, mashed turnips, apricot stuffing, and hot cross buns.

When everyone was nearly done, Lizzy anxiously began tapping her fingers against the table. Her husband noticed and stilled her hand. He smiled at her gently before tapping his fork against his crystal goblet, earning him the attention of everyone seated.

Georgiana, Kitty, and Jane looked on in eager anticipation. Georgiana knew the news, while Kitty and Jane merely suspected.

Mr. Bennet had a small smile on his face. Lizzy was sure that he knew what was going to come next, as did Mr. Bingley.

Miss Bingley, Mary, and Mrs. Bennet looked up startled and confused at Mr. Darcy's rising.

Mr. and Mrs. Hurst seemed too focused on their food.

He motioned for Lizzy to stand. She stood shakily. Everyone was looking at her now. They had practiced what they were going to say, they had prepared a small speech in fact. Mr. Darcy would speak first, and then Lizzy. It would be calm, and collected.

Lizzy always had a problem with speaking too fast. Her aunt always told her to not to just blurt things out. While usually witty and sharp, announcing something like this made her extremely nervous.

She found herself rising; Mr. Darcy was already beginning to speak. She locked eyes with Jane, who looked so eager, so happy, that she found herself speaking over her husband in a rush.

"I'm pregnant," She said quickly. The whole table stilled. Georgiana was giggling into her napkin, along with Kitty. Jane was biting back her smile. Her husband, his speech interrupted, turned to give her a confused yet amused look. Everyone else was shocked in silence.

"Well, thank you Lizzy dear" Mr. Darcy said loudly. "I guess that is a more efficient way of telling them. Lizzy and I are expecting a child in September"

Mrs. Bennet was the first to recover, and began fanning herself, mumbling about her nerves. Mr. Bennet stood and hugged his daughter, before shaking hands with his son. Jane leapt from her seat and embraced her sister, before embracing a slightly shocked Darcy.

After all the congrats were given, the party broke into separate groups, the males going to the library to enjoy a glass of port, while the females went to the parlor to talk more about the baby.

Miss Bingley feigned a headache and disappeared upstairs.

"Charles gave her an ultimatum after she refused to call for the doctor" Jane whispered as Lizzy quirked a brow at Caroline's sudden departure.

"She refused?" Lizzy hadn't heard that. Jane nodded somberly.

"She has been increasingly horrible to me as the wedding looms closer. Charles is sending her to London with the Hurst's after the holiday."

"Of course he is!" Lizzy groaned. "William and I are going to town after this, to introduce me to society before I am as large as a whale" Jane simply patted her sister's hand with a contrite smile.

Later that night, Lizzy found herself leaning over the chamber pot, emptying her stomach. William held her curls back from her face with one hand while the other rubbed gentle circles on her back.

"My mother is convinced it will be a boy" Lizzy told him between bouts of nausea, "She insists on coming to Pemberely in August, and staying until Michaelmas"

And suddenly Mr. Darcy had the urge to vomit as well.


	24. Colonel Fitzwilliam is Unlucky

**Sorry it took so long to update! I couldn't decide whether or not to redo this chapter or keep it as I had intended. In the end, I decided to keep what I had drawn out in the first place. Enjoy! Thank you all for reviewing, the next chapter will be London society, Miss Bingley, and some of Darcy's family!**

Lydia Bennet was missing.

George Wickham was AWOL.

Colonel Fitzwilliam was the unluckiest cousin in the world. He was dreading telling his cousin and his beautiful wife that her youngest sister had fallen into the miscreants hands.

He had volunteered to take the express himself to Hertfordshire, familial obligation forced him too. Two days ago the party from Longbourn had departed. Yesterday they had arrived in Brighton to find the camp all in a dither. Mr. Wickham had deserted his position, stolen half of the regiments coin, and to top it off, he took the young Bennet girl with him.

And now, today, Colonel Fitzwilliam was standing outside Netherfield Hall, the letter clutched tightly in his hands. He sighed, another girl ruined by Mr. Wickham.

Netherfield was empty. Darcy, Elizabeth, Georgie and Charles were apparently at Longbourn.

"I guess that solves that problem" He sighed. "Two birds, one Wickham sized stone" He muttered as he took off towards the smaller estate. As he approached he noticed his cousin in the garden with one of the younger Bennet sisters. Mary or Kitty, he determined, but as to which one it was, he could not recall. He smiled as he observed Georgiana's carefree smiles and laughter.

_Georgiana, his own flesh and blood, another victim of Wickham's cruel nature. She was so sweet before the Ramsgate incident, so innocent and naïve. She was still young, and she had vastly improved with Lizzy's friendship, but she had been irrevocably affected. But Georgiana was lucky; she was saved just in time, mere minutes before she would have sealed her fate forever._

"Richard!" Georgiana had spotted him. He dismounted just in time to catch his cousin.

"Georgiana!" He twirled her about, listening for a second to the sound of her sweet laughter.

"Why are you here?" She asked.

"I have to speak with your brother," He told her.

"Oh, I'll show you to him" She said, grabbing his hand.

"No, it's alright. Stay out here, it's just boring business stuff, Aunt Catherine is in trouble again. Miss Bennet, a pleasure to see you again," He stated, hoping that it was enough to cover the fact he had forgotten which one it was.

"Oh, you know Miss Katherine?" Georgie asked with a teasing smile.

"The Colonel and I had the pleasure of meeting before the wedding" Miss Kitty replied. He remembered her know, she was close to Miss Lydia Bennet, but less exuberant it seemed. "I am pleased to see you are well, sir" She told him softly.

"You as well Miss Katherine. Please, excuse me, I must speak with Darcy" And he took his leave. He asked to be shown to the library, telling the servant that he had urgent business with Mr. Bennet and the Darcy's.

Two minutes later the three of them entered the library.

"Richard!" Darcy greeted shaking his hand.

"Mr. Bennet, you rememeber my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam" He shook hands briefly with the older gentleman. Lizzy stood stalk still next to her husband. He turned to her.

"Please, just tell us" She whispered. "Something is bad if you've come all this way alone"

"Richard?" Darcy asked. The Colonel sighed.

"I arrived at the same time that Watkins and his party arrived. The camp was in a tither. Wickham had stolen from several other officers, and went AWOL. Upon further search, it was discovered that Miss Lydia Bennet was not asleep in her room at the Forrester's residence. Mrs. Forrester discovered a note from Miss Bennet under her pillow" He passed the letter to Mr. Bennet. The older gentleman read it quickly, passing it to his son in law. Mr. Bennet then sat heavily on the chair, his head in his hands.

"Read it aloud Fitzwilliam" Lizzy whispered. "Please"

"Jeanie, I cannot thank you enough for inviting me to stay with you in Brighton. It has been a most illuminating adventure. Mr. Wickham and I have decided to run away, we plan on eloping to Gretna Green. I am so happy that I find words are not enough in describing my state of mind. I hope you shall be happy for me, much love, Liddy. P.S, if you could inform my family of my good fortune, I shall forever be grateful"

"Oh god" Mr. Darcy wrapped an arm about his wife before she could collapse. She turned into his chest and began sobbing. Mr. Darcy led her to a chair, and sat her down upon it. He poured her a rather large glass of wine from the table, and urged her to drink.

"Is there not something we can do?" She asked, hiccups and sobs making her sentence difficult to understand.

"We can find her, and hope that she has not yet eloped" Richard said quietly. "I've redirected Watkins north, in the hopes of cutting them off. He was able to borrow one of the militia's fastest mounts. It is suspected that they were on foot for a few towns, until they were far enough away to catch a coach. However, I do not believe they are heading to Gretna Green. I believe we shall find them in London"

"Lizzy, dear, Richard and I will travel to London in an hours time. Tomorrow, Georgiana and you will join us. Mr. Bennet, the invitation stands for you as well" Mr. Darcy stated.

"I shall accompany them tomorrow. I must write to my brother, he will help as well" Mr. Bennet looked ashen. Lizzy stood from her own seat on wobbly legs, making her way to her father's side.

"Papa, please, let me" She whispered. His hand was shaking as he attempted to write the letter. "Mr. Darcy and the Colonel will find Lydia, we must have hope"

In truth, Lizzy was despairing herself. Her father was not strong enough for this, he was too old. Even now, she worried that it might just be too much for him to bear.

"Mr. Bennet, perhaps it would be best if you were to stay here, at Longbourne. If you were to leave with us as well, people will talk. We need to preserve her reputation as long as we can" Mr. Darcy said quietly.

"Her reputation is ruined" Lizzy sighed, and tried to reassure her father that all hope was not lost.

"Lizzy dearest, please go back to the parlor. I must speak with the gentleman, I do not want you to fret in your present condition" Mr. Bennet finally spoke. Lizzy started to object, but her husband cut her off.

"Lizzy, please" He helped her from her spot kneeling next to her father. She kissed her fathers cheek, then her husband, and finally her cousin.

"Colonel" she stated, smiling gently at him, "We haven't had the chance to announce it to William's family yet, but I feel that this situation needs a bit of light in all this darkness. We are expecting a child in September" The Colonel smiled, the news taking him by surprise, and lifting his spirits.

"Congratulations!" He hugged Lizzy, and clapped his cousin on the back. "I think Bennet Richard Darcy sounds wonderful, would you not agree Mr. Bennet, sir?"


	25. Mr and Mrs Wickham

**Alright, so I lied. This chapter is solely Lydia and Wickham and that scandal. Next chapter will be society and such since this one was becoming too long. Enjoy! Thanks for reviewing!**

**This is Mr. Darcy's POV**

Upon arriving in London, the Colonel and he went directly to Mrs. Younge's former residence. As luck would have it, she was still living in the small residence, a mere three blocks from the Gardiner family.

"Henrietta" The Colonel shoved his boot into the door before the woman could close it at the sound of his voice.

"I ain't done nothing this time" She rasped. She had done a good job at hiding her illness, and lack of decorum when in employment of the Darcy's, but her condition had severely deteriorated. Consumption was a deadly disease in this part of London. Thankfully she had a ragged cloth tied around her mouth. Based off of her coloring, her cough, and her malnourished form, she had mere weeks, perhaps a month to live.

"Do you know where Wickham is?" He asked, keeping a far enough distance from her and her cough.

"Might be I've seen him around" She answered, appraising the two. "He got the little princess again?"

"No" He replied tightly.

"Then he's got something else of yours" She got a determined look in her eyes. "I ain't part of whatever he's done now, but I know where you can find him, it's going to cost you though"

"First, we find him, then we pay you," He growled. This woman had tricked him one time too many. She seemed to deflate, but nodded.

"He's got a little bird with him along the river. Seen him at the old dock pub by central" She told them.

"What does she look like?" He asked, hoping it would be Lydia Bennet.

"Loud little thing, she has brown hair, fair skin. She got a nice firm shape, impressive chest" She leered.

"If we find him, we will pay you" He promised, allowing the Colonel to remove his foot.

"We can't know if she is telling the truth," The Colonel admitted. He nodded.

"We had best go change into something else, find the two quickly"

To their disappointment, they did not see him on the first night, although several drunken men confirmed Mrs. Younge's story. He was here in London, somewhere along the Thames.

The next morning, Georgiana and Lizzy arrived in London. He was sitting in his office when the butler announced their arrival. He met them on the front stairs, Lizzy throwing herself into his awaiting arms.

"Have you found anything?" She asked as soon as they were behind closed doors.

"We've tracked them down to the old docks near the central side" He answered slowly. "Several people have confirmed their presence. We will find them tonight hopefully"

Tears welled in her eyes, but she nodded anyways.

"How was the ride? Do you feel alright?" He asked, noticing her pale color.

"She was ill several times during the trip" Georgiana told her brother quickly, ignoring Lizzy's pointed look. "I'm going to bathe and then rest for awhile. Would you have dinner brought to my room brother?" She asked. Mr. Darcy merely nodded, taking his wife's hand into his own. He led her up the stairs, but when Georgiana turned left, they turned right.

"Lizzy?" He questioned as she sat motionless on the bed. She looked up at him with large, tear filled eyes.

"She's only 16 William. Barely 16 in fact. Her birthday was not even a month ago. Remember, I sent her those slippers?" He wrapped a strong around her shoulders. "I am so worried, yet I feel anger towards her as well. How could she have been so daft as to run away with a man she barely knew!"

"We will find her Lizzy, I promise. Please, just focus on yourself right now. You are ghostly pale, shaking, and look quite ill. You must take care of yourself," He pleaded. He had watched his own mother grow ill, as her pregnancy with Georgiana had advanced, until she passed away mere seconds after Georgiana was born.

"I did not sleep at all last night without you beside me" She told him quietly.

"Neither did I my love," He whispered.

He laid her gently down on the bed, and pulled the blanket up over the two of them. They fell asleep fully clothed, shoes and all.

It took them another four days to finally track the two down.

Mrs. Younge found them at the dock pub. She gave them a slip of paper with a name of a boardinghouse and a room number. In return the two men gave her coin enough to spend her remaining time in a warm inn with warm food to be eaten.

The boarding house was a mess. It was covered in filth, and had rats and vermin openly displayed on the floor. Several prostitutes littered the entrance, along with many drunken men. In short, this was not a place he would want his sister or wife to be.

When they reached the room, they decided to just kick open the door. The Colonel did the honors. As soon as the door fell, Darcy regretted his choice.

The two sprung apart from each other, faces red and surprised. Lydia Bennet was stark naked, clutching a thin sheet to her chest, but hiding nothing. Wickham was just as naked, but languidly stretched on the small bed.

"Ah, I was wondering when you two would show up" He laughed. Lydia Bennet looked horrified.

"Why are you here?" She sneered. "Leave us alone"

"Yes Darcy, leave us alone" Wickham echoed with a grin.

"Miss Bennet, get dressed, now" He was trying to conceal his anger.

"No" Lydia retorted, crossing her arms across her chest. The blanket was still clutches across her nakedness.

"Miss Bennet, get dressed" He repeated.

"You cannot make me"

"Come on love, put on some clothes" The Colonel stepped forward, an easy, albeit fake, smiled plastered on his face. "Your family is awfully worried about you"

"George is my family" Lydia replied, her nose in the air now. She sat down next to Wickham, resting her head on his shoulder. "We're going to Gretna Green on the morrow to get married" She said lovingly, looking up at him.

An hour later, after much cajoling and bribing, Lydia Bennet was returned to her aunt and uncles home in Cheapside. He did not want to risk his wife's health with Lydia's theatrics.

Mr. Darcy returned to the comfort of his home, where his wife sat asleep on the front parlor couch, awaiting his return. He gently shook her awake.

"William?" She blinked open her tired eyes. "What happened? Did you find her?" She asked.

"Yes, we found them. They will have to get married Lizzy, I am sorry" He whispered. Tears pooled in her eyes.

"Damn traitorous tears" She muttered to his amusement. She blamed their child for the rapid mood swings and frequent tears. "I knew it would have to come to this. I just wish it hadn't" She sighed. "Will you lie with me for awhile?" She asked.

"On the couch?" He questioned. She nodded sleepily, burrowing into the velvet on the couch. "How about we lie together in bed?" He asked, picking her up off of the couch. "Tomorrow will be a long day, you need rest"

She was already asleep.

The next morning the weather was anything but nice. Thunder boomed overhead, and rain pelted the windows. Lizzy gloomily dressed for her youngest sisters wedding. She wore a pale grey dress, not quite appropriate for mourning, yet certainly too drab for a wedding. She wore no jewels, and her hair was loosely pulled into a bun under her rain bonnet.

Her husband was dressed in a similar manner.

"Lizzy, love, we must leave now" He called, opening the door to her new dressing room. She stood and sighed heavily.

"I cannot help but be sad. She is too silly and young to realize what she has gotten herself into" Lizzy muttered.

"It is okay to be sad darling, she was tricked into this. But she is happy, she is unaware of his transgressions. Let her live in her fantasy world for as long as she can, reality is going to emerge eventually" Mr. Darcy rubbed her shoulders. "Your sister will always be welcome in our home, if she needs it"

"Without her husband" Lizzy sighed. "I hate him"

"Well then, we agree on that love. Let us go, or we shall be late"

Lydia stood in a pale yellow gown. It was simple, and old. She complained loudly about it every chance she got. It had been an old dress of Lizzy's. Her Aunt Maddy, and Lizzy herself tried to block out her complaints as they readied her for the simple ceremony.

"I do not see why we could not invite more people" Lydia whined.

"Lydia, you ran away with a man, ruined your reputation, and almost ruined Kitty and Mary's reputations as well. You are a ruined woman!" Her Aunt had had enough of this nonsense. Madeline Gardiner was a respected woman. She had always favored the elder Bennet sisters over her youngest niece She had listened to Lydia for the past 24 hours, enough was enough.

Lydia scowled, glaring at her aunt.

"You know nothing Aunt"

"She is right Lydia. You are ruined. You are lucky that Mr. Wickham is willing to marry you" Lizzy was hesitant to ruin her sisters fantasy She would learn the hard way eventually.

"George is the best of men" The conversation ended there as both elder women declined to either agree or disagree with Lydia.

Her husband, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and her Uncle made up the rest of the wedding party. The vows were simple, the wedding bands were simple, everything was utterly simple. There was no breakfast feast at the bride's house, the married couple was packed onto a carriage and sent to Liverpool, where Darcy had purchased a commission for Wickham. Coincidentally, it was the same regiment that the Colonel would return too in a fortnight.


	26. Lord and Lady Fitzwilliam

**This one is my longest one yet because it has taken me so long to post! Im sorry for that! I literally watched the game of thrones marathon ondemand this whole week. I'm obsessed, and I'm pathetic. But seriously, who doesn't watch Game of Thrones?...Back on topic though, thanks for all the reviews! I hope you enjoy this one! Aunt Catherine is coming up in the next few chapters, as will the lovely Collins family. Review, and enjoy!**

The Darcy townhouse had a surprise visitor the morning of the ball. Lord Henry Fitzwilliam, Earl of Matlock, and Lady Isabel Fitzwilliam, the Countess of Matlock, arrived promptly after the breakfast hour. Lizzy hastily pinched her cheeks and smoothed her skirts before William led her into the parlor where his aunt and uncle awaited them.

The Countess was a small woman, with dark hair and pale sharp eyes. She was slightly tanner then what was considered fashionable, and her face bore many laugh lines. She smiled widely as William and she walked into the room.

The Earl was quite older then the Countess. He had gray hair, and a straight back. He held his wife's hand in his lap, stroking the palm. He seemed strict, but had softness to his face as his wife smiled. He too bore deep laugh lines. The two stood from the sofa they perched on as the couple entered.

"Uncle Henry, Aunt Isabel" William hugged the older woman gently, and shook hands with his uncle. "May I present my darling wife, Elizabeth?"

"It is a pleasure to meet you, my lord, my lady" Elizabeth curtsied.

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well Mrs. Darcy" Lady Fitzwilliam had a soft soprano voice.

"I assure you, the pleasure is all mine Lady Fitzwilliam." Lizzy replied, smiling back. "I am so eager to get to know the rest of William's family."

"Well, we were quite eager to meet you my dear. William was so secretive, stealing you away to Pemberely in the middle of the winter. I was so disappointed to miss the wedding. Do tell me, how long have you been wed now?" His aunt questioned. Lizzy started counting back weeks, but William beat her to it.

"Seven and a half months Aunt"

"That was quite prompt nephew" The Earl spoke. He had a deep baritone; Lizzy thought she could detect a slight sarcastic tinge to it. William smirked, confirming her thought. The Colonel, a prankster if she had ever met one, had inherited his humor from his silent father.

"Henry, do not tease the lad. Why thank you William, although I believe I asked Elizabeth" His Aunt laughed. "Come, let me speak more with Mrs. Darcy while you two discuss shooting or something else boring"

"Do not be silly Isa, we will be describing, in great detail I might add, our attire for the ball tonight. I am quite eager to know what our nephew shall wear, navy or black breeches?" Lizzy covered her mouth to stifle her laugh. William openly laughed, clapping his uncle on the back.

"Come, uncle, we are clearly not wanted" He kissed Lizzy's hand, and left her with his aunt.

"Shall we?" Lady Fitzwilliam sat back down on the couch.

"Shall I call for tea?" Lizzy asked. She nodded her head. They sat in silence until the teacart was delivered, and Lizzy poured the hot liquid with caution.

"I wish to learn more about you, the mysterious woman my dearest nephew has married" Lady Fitzwilliam announced after taking a sip.

"There is not much to tell ma'am" Lizzy replied, sinking back against the sofa.

"Your marriage was quite hasty, and quite understated," Lady Fitzwilliam told her. "There was a lot of talk, scandalous talk"

"Are you suggesting there was a scandal?" Lizzy arched a brow.

"There was talk of a compromise"

"Are you suggesting William compromised me?" Lizzy all but gasped.

"Not at all, I have more faith in my nephew then that" She replied. "I am not accusing you of anything, I have the utmost respect in William, I do not believe he would have married you for anything less then love"

"Are you questioning my love for him?" Lizzy was confused as to where this conversation was going. "Because I can assure you that I love William with every single fiber of my being,"

" I have seen the way you look at each other, that is quite obvious dear. I am merely trying to inform you of what to expect, of the types of accusations you shall face tonight. The Ton does not take likely their most eligible bachelor being snatched up by a society unknown"

"You think they will not except me as William's wife" Lizzy sagged against the couch. The woman was not being malicious, just protective of her nephew, trying to prepare her for the accusations of tonight.

"I believe that some shall, the married ones of course. The single, jealous women will do everything in their power to weaken you, to insult you, to make you feel as awful as possible"

"I am not a easy women to break down" Lizzy replied. "I care not for what society think of me. As William's family, I endeavor to secure your good opinion, for the sake of Williams' love for you"

"The Fitzwilliam's are a small family. Noble, yes, and wealthy, but small. My sons are the only two heirs to the remaining fortunes. The Darcy's are, while not noble, far wealthier then the Fitzwilliam's, yet smaller still. We have to stick together as a family; we do not keep secrets. We help each other out"

The conversation then switched to lighter subjects, the ball that coming evening, and then to dresses, and then to Georgiana's eventual coming out. The two agreed, since Georgiana had no mother, that they would plan it together. William and the Earl chose that moment to re-enter the room.

"Ah, William! Perfect, we were just discussing Georgiana's coming out next you" His aunt smiled. "We have agreed to split the task amongst the two of us. Surely you agree that this is a valid idea?"

"I quite agree that the two of you should split the task, but Georgiana is not coming out next year, she is not yet ready"

"I agree. She shall come out at the age of nine and twenty, when she is utterly unsuited for marriage, so that she may remain with William and his wife for the rest of their lives" The Earl joked. Lizzy and his wife laughed, while William scowled.

"Do not fret love, we shall sort it out later, yes?" Lizzy asked, seeking to ease the tension.

"Well, I shall trust you then Elizabeth, twas a pleasure to meet you dear" Lady Fitzwilliam hugged her softly, and stood. "I believe we best head home dear, we must prepare for tonight"

The carriage was called, the farewells were given, and the two were left alone in their parlor.

"Your aunt is quite the woman," Lizzy told him after a second of silence.

"I assume she implied that no secrets were kept in the family?" Lizzy nodded.

"She is quite intimidating" Lizzy said with a smile. "But I believe I shall like her very much"

"Well, I happen to know she already likes you very much" William replied. "There is one secret we have kept from her however,"

"Only for a few more hours" She grinned, laying her hand against her small baby bump. He placed his own hand over hers. "She shall know later tonight"

"She shall indeed," He agreed.

After having tea with Georgiana, who arrived a quarter of an hour after her family's departure, Lizzy was forced into a scalding bath filled with scented oils and flower petals. Her skin was scrubbed clean, her hair was washed with expensive French soap, and to top it off, Mira then rubbed another scented oil over her entire person.

Oily, cold, and skin raw from the scrubbing, Lizzy sat naked upon her bed, waiting for the oils to absorb into her skin. Her hair was down to dry, sticking to her back in an infuriating manner.

"Lizzy?" William called, knocking on the door before entering. She didn't bother moving from her spot on the bed.

"Yes?" She called, staring at the silken canopy top.

"Why are you dripping wet and naked upon the bed?" He questioned, his handsome face appearing above her. He was leaning over her to see her face better.

"I must be totally dry before I am forced into a heavy pile of lace, tulle, satin, and whatever other materials Georgiana has designed this gown with" Lizzy replied, pouting. Her husband ran his hand up her thigh, over her stomach. Goosebumps appeared on her skin.

"You smell delicious," He murmured, kissing the side of her neck.

"I smell like a million flowers vomited upon me," Lizzy replied. He merely hummed against her neck, knotting his hands in her hair.

..,.,.,.,…...

Lizzy appraised her image in the looking glass. She wore a thin dressing gown, her feet bare. Her naturally curly hair was braided across the crown of her head, and then secured on the side with a pearl and feathered hair comb. The rest of it flowed unrestricted to just under her bust.

"Oh, you are not dressed yet!" Georgiana exclaimed as she walked into the room, without knocking.

"Mira just finished my hair" Lizzy replied, turning to face her sister. "You look beautiful Georgiana" She complimented.

"I look like a child" Georgiana retorted, picking at her lace pink and tulle dress. "William insisted on the color. I cannot wait until next season when I come out"

"Well, until then, help me into this dress" Lizzy avoided the subject of her coming out, and pointed to the gown hanging on her dresser. "Mira is trying to find my new slippers. I misplaced them somewhere"

Lizzy's gown was beautiful, although quite over the top for her tastes. Georgiana insisted that she had to make a grand impression on everyone. To hide the bump, she had opted for a short-sleeved empire waisted dress. It was a pale grey color with an over coat of a darker grey. Lizzy quite admired the way the lighter gray stood out through the darker greys slit in the middle, just under her bust. The seamstress had begged her leave to embellish it, as if the fine grey satin wasn't enough. The woman had sewn an intricate design along the sleeves, the hem, and the bust line, with little sparkling jewels.

"Oh, I knew it would look amazing!" Georgiana exclaimed. "Let me get the necklace and gloves!"

Georgie returned with the matching pearl and silver necklace, along with simple white gloves. Mira had since return, and her feet were now slipper clad. All and all, she was ready to go.

William was waiting downstairs with Colonel Fitzwilliam, who would stay with Georgiana at his parents home. Both men smiled as they descended the stairs.

"Wow" The Colonel wolf whistled, causing Georgiana to blush, and Lizzy to gape.

"You must excuse Richard, time spent in the military has withered away at his manners. You look lovely Georgiana," He told the blushing blonde. He turned to his wife, smiling easily. "Lizzy, love, you look simply ravishing" She blushed under his gaze but smiled back.

"You look rather dashing yourself Mr. Darcy" She replied. "And you smell quite fresh"

"He smells like a garden vomited upon him. What were you doing before this?" The tip of William's ears turned red. The Colonel understood, and laughed.

"I see" He replied. "Well, Miss Darcy, may I escort you to the carriage?"

"Why thank you Colonel Fitzwilliam" She responded.

As soon as she stepped from the carriage, she swayed on her feet. William hastily wrapped an arm around her to secure her. She brushed him off.

"I must have over judged the step" She laughed. "It's these silly slippers"

William simply laughed as she waggled her toes for him.

The Earl and Countess met them in the foyer with kind words and happy smiles. Lizzy was immediately introduced to Henry II, the heir to Matlock. He was unmarried, yet older then William.

"Cousin, I see you have married completely above your station in regards to appearance" He announced, smiling happily as Elizabeth blushed at the compliment, and his cousin in anger.

"And I see you still have not married" William retorted.

"None of this nonsense, not tonight boys" The Earl warned.

"William?" His aunt asked. "Why don't you take Elizabeth into the ballroom? Several people are very excited to meet her. The first is starting in mere seconds, hurry. I shall take Georgiana and show her off to my friends, the old bats of society. They shall be enthralled with her likeness to your mother"

"She is not out yet Aunt, remember" William warned. The woman nodded with a soft smile, before grasping her young nieces arm. Georgiana looked nervous. Elizabeth shot her a brief smile, despite her own nerves.

"Come now dearest, we cannot keep society waiting" Lizzy murmured, threading her arm through hers husbands. He laughed softly, patting her hand. She felt faint with nerves.

"We cannot indeed"

The first set was about to start as they walked in. Lizzy dragged her husband into the crowd, determined to dance and have a good time.

"I do love this dance" Lizzy commented as they began. Her husband smiled, she had said that the first time they had danced together, back in Meryton.

"Quite invigorating" He replied. Lizzy laughed loudly, earning a few stares.

"I admit, I do not know what to talk about" She stated as they passed by each other. "The weather quite nice, I suppose"

"Do you talk as a rule while dancing?" He questioned. She smiled as she clasped hands with a woman she did not know. The woman smiled gently back. She was elder the Lizzy by some years.

"Yes" She replied, coming back into contact with her husband.

As he led her in a small circle, the faint feeling returned, and her vision swam. In the quick blinking of her eyes, it was gone. She was being passed to the elder woman's dancing partner. William cocked a brow at her expression.

"Are you alright?" He asked as they passed each other again. Lizzy was grateful that the music was slowly tapering out. The dance was ending. Just a few more steps.

"Fine" She whispered.

He was not fooled by her answer. Her face had paled in the last few minutes, a light sheen of sweat upon her brow. She looked dazed, blinking away as if her vision was troubling her.

She passed him in the dance, disappearing behind him. A second later he heard a gasp, and turned just as his wife swayed on her feet.

A searing hot pain flashed across her stomach, stopping her dead in her tracks as she gasp at the pain. Her vision swam, and her head pounded, as if the bolt of pain has spread all the way to her head.

"William" She whispered as her world went black.

"Lizzy!" He shouted quite loudly, racing towards his falling wife.

He caught her just as she fell, shocking the entire ballroom into silence.


	27. Miss Darcy is Afraid

**I am an awful person. I am so sorry for taking so long. College is kicking my ass though that is not really an excuse. I hope people still read this. **

Georgiana was walking into the ballroom when she heard her brother shout out Lizzy's name. Georgiana raced towards the crowd that was already forming, the Colonel's wrist trapped in her strong grip.

Lizzy was unconscious in her brother's arms, her body limp and pale.

"Oh god!" She gasped, breaking the relative silence. Several people turned to her in surprise. William looked up at her voice. She noticed with alarm that he looked quite similar to Lizzy in pallor. "William, what happened?"

"She just collapsed," He whispered, looking lost.

"Alright, clear away. Give her some room" The Colonel spoke, pushing a few people back. "Carlson, fetch a doctor. Darcy, let's get her upstairs, alright?" Her brother merely nodded, his hand gently tracing her cheekbone.

"She will be fine William" Georgiana announced. She rested a hand on her brothers shoulder. "We need to get her upstairs" She hinted. He nodded, standing easily with Lizzy in his arms.

"Take her to my usual room. Aunt had it made up for me earlier, in the hopes that you would allow me to stay over with her" Georgiana told them. "I shall ask her to prepare two" She stressed this word with a small smile for her brother "more rooms for you and I"

"Thank you love," He whispered as he left her at the bottom of the staircase. The guests were all still watching in fascination.

Vultures.

The elder, married couples looked either bored, or slightly concerned.

The younger, eligible ones looked almost happy.

Nearly everyone showed no signs of worry of her sisters fainting spell. Georgiana supposed that they did not realize she was pregnant, and fainting itself was not so serious. Still, it infuriated Georgiana.

"Georgie?" Her cousin was in front of her now. She looked up at him. She broke then and there, collapsing against him in sobs.

"Oh, look the second set is starting!" She dimly heard her uncle announce. "Come on, nothing to see here, let us enjoy the evening"

The society turned around then, returning to the ballroom, the doors shutting behind them firmly.

"Oh Georgie, shush" The Colonel soothed, patting her back. He sat her gently on the stairs. "Lizzy will be fine, you must believe that"

"It anything happens to her, I fear William will never be able to go on" She admitted. "Did you see the look in his eyes?" She questioned.

"Georgiana, dear, Lizzy is not your mother" He knew where his cousin was going with this. Will had done the same thing weeks before.

"But-"

"No. That is the end of the discussion. Come, we shall join Will's pacing outside her door. The doctor will come out, Lizzy shall be awake, and mortified, and it will all have been a simple case of too tight laces or some other female nonsense" Georgiana laughed despite herself.

William meanwhile was indeed pacing out the door. The doctor had entered the room a several minutes ago.

He was worried.

He was beyond worried. He was completely lost.

"Will?" His sister's quite voice brought him out of his morbid thoughts. She had tears in her eyes, but none had tracked down her cheeks yet. Without another word, she wrapped her small arms around him, clutching tightly at him.

"It will be okay Will," She whispered over and over against his neck.

It took nearly a half an hour for the doctor to finish his examination. He came out of the room, and was immediately bombarded by both Darcy's. The Colonel quickly grabbed his young cousin and dragged her away from the door.

"Patience Georgie" He squeezed her shoulder in a comforting manner.

"How is she?" Will asked anxiously. "And the babe?"

"Both are well" Everyone visibly exhaled. Georgiana sagged against her cousin. Will smiled briefly.

"Then what caused her to faint?" He asked, "Is she ill?"

"She was overtaxed, most likely from the combination of the warmth in the ballroom and the exertion of dancing. She is also fairly dehydrated. She needs rest sir. Has she been under a lot of stress recently?"

He nodded silently.

"Well, eliminate that stress, until the babe is born at the least. I suggest you have a few days rest, and then leave London for the countryside. London society is no place for her condition"

"Thank you doctor," He whispered. "May I see her?" The man nodded. The Colonel volunteered to see him out.

Meanwhile, Lizzy was having the most wonderful dream.

_She was outside of Pemberley, she recognized the gardens in the distance and the stone deck on which she was located. She wore a silken dress of the palest green. It made her eyes sparkle in the bright sunshine. She was sitting calmly in a wooden rocker chair, gently rocking a sleeping child in her arms. She would estimate the child to be a little over a year old. A door slammed somewhere in the distance, causing the babe to stir._

_"How now my little Anna?" She cooed at the child as she fret in her lap. She cuddled closer to her bosom and scrunched up her small face. Her eyes slowly blinked open. They were a startling shade of green, neither emerald nor jade, yet gorgeous without a doubt. She recognized them as her own._

_"You miss your papa do you not child?" A voice asked from above her. _

_"William!" She cried, standing and throwing herself into his babe was securely tucked between the two. "Oh, how I missed you!"_

_"I am here now love, and liable to never my family again" The babe now rested contently in her fathers strong arms. "She has grown in the past fortnight" He murmured, smoothing the girls dark curls. She rewarded him with slobbery smile._

_"Papa!" Another voice called from the maze of bushes, racing up the small stone steps to the deck. A boy, around four years of age, came panting up, covered in mud and holding a squirming pup. "Look, papa! Hunter had her litter!" He presented the muddy pup to his father to noticed the blue of his eyes, and the dimples of his cheeks, a miniature of her husband indeed._

_"Bennet, go greet your father properly" The little boy must have been confused on the proper greeting as he launched himself at his fathers legs, almost knocking the man over. His father simply laughed. He picked the mud covered lad up and swung him about with the little girl still safely tucked under his other arm. In the end, the only one mud free was his wife._

_He whispered something in young Bennet's ear, and the boy raced to hug his mother. She took it in stride, laughing as the child smeared mud cross her cheek. _

_Later, she found herself soaking in a tub, William behind her, rubbing her shoulders._

_"She has two more teeth" William noted as he worked. "Two more teeth since I last saw her"_

_"They grow fast" She agreed. She smiled impishly at him. "Just as this one shall" She moved his hand to her slightly raised abdomen. His eyes widened, and a large smile appeared on his face, dimples and all._

_"Oh Lizzy" He plucked her from the tub easily, embracing her tightly. "Lizzy, Lizzy, Lizzy"_

"Lizzy, wake up Lizzy, please love" The voice from her dream whispered. She found herself incapable of opening her eyes. They went heavy with lead, too heavy to open properly. "Please Lizzy, please wake up"

The voice sounded so deject and sad that she tried harder. It was dark she realized, only a candle burned in the corner of the mysterious room. She recoginzed her husbands presence to the left of her.

"Will?" She croaked, her voice still laced with sleep.

"Oh, thank heavens Lizzy" He was at her side in a second, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, everywhere.

"What happened?" She managed.

"You fainted at the ball" He whispered softly. She gasped.

"And the babe?" Tears were already welling behind her eyes, she knew that fainting during this stage in pregnancy was bad.

"All is well" He told her. "The babe is fine, healthy even"

"Truly?" She asked, sitting up more.

"Truly" He replied with a smile. She flung her arms around him then, pulling him closer.

"It is to be a boy" She told him about her dream, to which he smiled and laughed. "We shall be so happy"

"As long as I have you, I am happy"


	28. Mrs Darcy is Fat

**Alright, so I'm skipping forward a bit. Thank you for continuing to read this story even though I am an awful updater for waiting three weeks+ on the last chapter. I'm going to post smaller chapters for each month of her remaining pregnancy**

Enjoy!

_**End of April/ Beginning of May- 5-6 Months In**_

Lizzy was overjoyed to be back at Pemberley. Currently, she sat in her dressing room, looking into her full length looking glass. She had woken up this morning, alone in their bed, and was not able to fit into her favorite dress, despite the fact that she had let out a few seams. She, of course, knew it was going to happen, but was quite dismayed at the actual fact.

Mr. Darcy finished his estate work early, hoping that he could make it back to his bed before his wife awoke from her slumber. He checked with Mrs. Reynolds before heading upstairs, Mrs. Darcy had not yet come down from her chambers. When he checked their bed though, she was gone. He deduced that she must be dressing, so he made his way to her dressing room.

She had her back to him, facing her mirror. She was stark naked, sitting semi cross legged on the velvet bench. She seemed to poking and prodding her stomach.

"Lizzy, love?" He questioned, stepping further into the room.

"I have become quite fat" She told him, turning to look at him. He grinned despite himself, she looked quite put out by the fact she had gained weight during her pregnancy.

"You are carrying a child, dear" He reminded her, sitting behind her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, letting his hands rest on her bump. She leaned into him and sighed.

"I could not fit into my favorite dress this morning" She admitted. He kissed her neck.

"We shall have it altered then" He told her, "Or commission a new one"

"I have several new ones, but this one was my favorite"

"Then it shall be altered. I will have Mrs. Reynolds take care of it immediately" She sighed again.

"No, leave it. I do not wish for you to go quite so soon" She looked back at the mirror, he followed her gaze.

"We are going to be parents" She whispered. "Are you not a little afraid?"

"I am absolutely petrified, and estactic at the same time" He told her. "But I have faith in us, in you" He stood from the bench and grabbed one of the new gowns they had had made for her. It was a simple morning dress. "Come on, time to get dressed" She groaned as he helped her to her feet. She slipped into her undergarments and then allowed him to pull the dress over her head.

"Are you practicing in the hopes we have a daughter you shall have to dress?" Lizzy teased.

"I am well versed in tying laces and making bows with ribbons, Georgiana was a very capricious little girl, she never much liked a nanny for more then a month" He told her as he demonstrated his skill at creating the perfect bow.

"Are you this skilled with hair plaiting as well?" She teased as she combed through her thick hair with her fingers. He attempted to help her in plaiting but ended up twisting his hands up in a giant tangle instead. Laughingly, she shook him off.

"It is a good thing you are certain our child will be a boy" He grinned. Ever since she had fainted at the ball, she had been convinced that her dream was real, that their child would be a boy.

"William, stop teasing me!" She laughed. "I wish to make a bet" She announced. He arched his brow, struggling to contain his smirk.

"A bet?" He asked. "Why, Mrs. Darcy, it is not proper for a woman to be making bets"

"If it is a boy, you shall have to do my bidding for a whole week" He seemed to be amused with her bet. "And if it is a girl?"

"Do you wish me to do your bidding as well?"

"No, if it is a girl, we name her Francesca" Lizzy paled, frowning at her husband.

"After my mother?" She asked. "You cannot be serious"

"I assure you, I am perfectly serious"

"She will be over the moon" She remarked dryly as they exited the room. "I daresay she shall confess you to be the most gracious, and genteel of men. I believe she shall hold you in esteem higher then our friend Mr. Bingley,"

"Perhaps that is my plan, love"


	29. Mrs Bennet Loves Mr Darcy

**June**

Summer in Derbyshire was not nearly as hot as summers in Hertfordshire were. Lizzy was quite glad for the difference in temperatures. She was approaching her confinement date, only a month left until her mother arrived to mark it.

In the interim, she was helping Jane plan her wedding, which had been pushed back to allow Lizzy to attend, via letters. She was able to send by the express a few swatches of lace and such. Georgiana was quite pleased to help as well.

"All these swatches remind me that we must paper the nursery walls. The pink from Georgiana's room will not do for our son" Lizzy remarked over breakfast one morning. Her husband lowered his morning newsprint and smirked.

The bet made between the Darcy's became common knowledge amongst the household staff. Although they did not know the particulars of the bet, they chose their own sides accordingly. Georgiana believed it to be a girl, although Mrs. Reynolds sided with Mrs. Darcy on the child being a boy.

Most of the staff had sided with the new mistress as well. Wishful thinking, Mr. Darcy had told her. They wished for an heir for him.

"But the pink would be lovely for our little girl, little Fanny" Lizzy made a tsk'ing noise, shaking her head slowly.

"I found a lovely pattern in a shop in Lambton. I have arranged for the man and his son to start today"

"And what does this pattern look like, my dear?"

"Tis navy blue with a lighter stripe pattern, quite endearing" She replied. "It shall match splendidly with the darling white and blue damask fabric I purchased for the bedding. I am sure little Bennet shall adore it"

Her husband simply smiled and shook his head.

"I had a letter from my mother yesterday, dear, in response to the, in her words, lovely and endearing letter you sent her" She stifled his laughter as she watched him choke on his tea.

"And?" He asked, wiping tea from his chin.

"She is overjoyed at our choice of a name if the child is a daughter." She answered. "She dearly hopes that our first born will be a son however, and suggested that we might consider Francis. She also wishes to stay a few months with us after the birth, to ensure all is well" At his pale countenance, she laughed. "I am sure you regret writing to her in the first place"

"Never" He replied stoically.

"Are you sure you are alright with my mother, my aunt, and Jane arriving so soon?"

"They are your family, my love, of course it is alright" She smiled and took another bite of her tart.

"I had a letter from Charlotte as well" She finalyl told him.

He waited for her to continue.

"She is with child as well. She wishes to reconcile, she hopes that our children will be as great of friends as we once were" She admitted. "She writes that she will forgive even if I do not apologize"

"Lizzy" He whispered sadly, reaching across the table to grip her hand.

"I wish to visit her after our child is safe to travel. We shall need to introduce him to your Aunt as well, and I shall need to meet her"

"Are you positive? Aunt Catherine is a very, overbearing woman"

"We could visit at Christmas, after the Bingley wedding. Richard told me that his family spent Christmas with her on occasion perhaps they will this year as well"

"It is your choice, my dear" He told her.

"And we shall have to prepare for Georgina's coming out"

"Lizzy" he warned in his Master of the Estate voice.

"Alright, alright" She held out her hands in surrender"

"Are you nearly finished? I believe you promised Georgiana that you would practice a duet with her" He asked, changing the subject.

"Nearly" She replied.

A few seconds passed in silence before she gasped. He was at her side in an instant, kneeling in front of her. She was slacked jawed and wide eyed.

"Lizzy? Lizzy" Her hands had flew to her stomach, he was desperately clutching at them. "Lizzy, please, what is wrong?"

A smile grew across her face, and tears welled in her lovely green eyes. She moved his hands so that they rested on her stomach, on their child.

"Wait" She whispered. A few moments later he felt it, their child.

A slow smile spread across his face. Tears were streaming down her cheeks in joy.

He drew her in for a searing kiss while one hand reminded with her own on their child.


	30. Mrs Bennet Goes North

**I am so sorry! It has been forever since I updated, I know. I hope you enjoy this one, the next will probably be the birth of their child, as I want to speed things along, then the Bingley wedding, then Collin's appearance with Lady Cat, and finally, the end! So almost done, maybe 5-6 chapters left! Stick with me!**

"My dearest Charlotte,

You cannot comprehend the joy I felt at receiving your latest letter. I have missed you greatly; I admit that I too would be overjoyed to introduce our children to each other, so that they may have the friendship we once had. That being said, I wish to inform you that we shall be traveling to Kent for Christmas this year, to visit Lady Catherine, and of course, after Jane's wedding. I had hoped to see you there, but I understand that would be quite impossible. I wish you the greatest joy in the remaining months of your pregnancy, and for the future health of your child.

Much love,

Elizabeth Darcy"

She turned to look at her sister, arching her brow. "Well?"

"It sounds very, ahem, detached" Jane admitted.

"I thought it was rather civilized, all things considered" Jane patted her sister's gloved hand.

"Your letters are usually full of emotion, wit, lively epithets of some trivial event that made you smile. Lizzy, this letter is only a half of a page long, usually you write a small novel"

"I do not wish to further strain our relationship. She has extended an olive branch, however skewed it may be. I will keep my tongue in check, she was a dear friend once"

"You are getting soft" Jane laughed.

"It is mother. I am desperate for any sort of distraction, I am willing to write to Charlotte" Lizzy laughed. "I shall go mad if the two of them keep conspiring against me, together"

"They both want what is best" Jane consoled. "You are now in your confinement period, you must go easy"

"I would be lying in bed all day if William had his way"

"You must admit it is amusing to watch Mama interact with him. I am surprised that he tolerates her so well now"

"He does it on purpose, to anger me. It simply serves to amuse me" Lizzy retorted. "I shall have the last laugh though, when I win the bet"

"And what shall you have him do?"

"Whatever it is I want," Lizzy simply replied. "Now, enough about me, I want to hear more about you and Mr. Bingley! Has he kissed you yet?"

Jane turned pink and averted her eyes, causing her sister to laugh.

"Lizzy!" Jane finally admonished after a few minutes of her laughter. "Stop it, please"

"I am sorry Jane, you just looked so flustered" Jane pouted prettily, glaring the best she could at her sister. "I take it as a yes?"

"Yes, he did" Jane sighed softly, "Oh, Lizzy, it was absolute bliss! If only Mr. Hurst did not walk in!"

Lizzy lost herself to the laughter once again, imagining with delight the scene Jane was now describing.

"We were standing in the library, we thought that we would not be discovered in there of all places. He was so nervous, he launched into this little speech, and oh he was so polite! He recited this poem, I do not even know who the author is, but it was so beautiful. And then, he asked if I would allow him to kiss me, and I agreed! I felt so wanton" Lizzy was still giggling over her sister's love-struck tale, and of course, picturing Mr. Hurst.

"Tell me about Mr. Hurst walking in" She urged. Jane sighed, and continued.

"We-we were up against the bookshelf" Jane whispered, cheeks flushed red. "Mr. Hurst walked in with a cup of brandy. He dropped it to the ground in surprise. We broke apart as the glass shattered. Mr. Hurst just stood there smirking. In truth, I've never seen him so awake looking! I-I was so flustered that I fled from the room,"

"Oh Jane, it is not that bad" Lizzy assured her. "What did Mr. Bingley do?"

"He berated Mr. Hurst for not knocking, then ran after me" Jane smiled softly. "I cannot wait to be his wife, Lizzy, I really cannot"

"You have only a few months left" Lizzy stated. "Has Mama finished all her plans?"

Jane went on in detail to describe the content of her trousseau, the newest lace she had purchased for Lydia's dress, and the morning coat that Mr. Bingley would be wearing. The sun was fast setting when Jane finished detailing every possible aspect of the upcoming wedding.

"We should get going, Fitzwilliam will worry" Lizzy stated, looking to the setting sun. Jane frowned a tad. As if conjured out of thin air, the master of the estate appeared in the distance, shouting out both of their names.

"We are over here!" Lizzy called. One of their hounds was dancing behind him, nipping at his heels.

"You did tell him we were going out, did you not?"

"I might have mentioned it" Lizzy replied absently. She laughed as Jane pulled a funny face.

"Apollo" Lizzy called, yelling for the hound as it recognized her from afar. In a blur or black and brown it was upon her, licking her face.

"Charles wants to start breeding hunting dogs, but Caroline cannot stand them" Jane remarked as William slowly made his way over.

"Apollo has a lady love who we expect will have pups by the wedding. Perhaps you wish to give one to him as a wedding gift" Lizzy suggested. "William will not mind"

"I will not mind what?" He asked, finally approaching the two sisters.

"Allowing Jane to adopt one of Apollo's pups" Lizzy replied.

"For Charles?" Jane nodded. "Of course not"

"Thank you, William"

"We have several dogs too many, I am afraid." He told her. "Now, the hour grows late. You shall not have very long to get ready for dinner, Lizzy" Lizzy huffed from her position on the ground. She was not looking forward to another dinner with her mother.

"I would rather stay here" He gave her a small smirk.

"I just spent the whole day with her, allowing her to criticize the way I decorated the nursery, or the way they papered the walls, or heaven

forbid, the wrong lace" He snapped playfully. "You can handle dinner"

"Alright, help me up" Lizzy grumbled. He easily pulled her pregnant form from the ground, and then helped Jane as well. With one on each arm, he escorted them back to the estate. Once they entered the foyer, Jane scurried off to get ready for dinner, while Lizzy languidly made her way up the stairs. With every stair, she groaned for dramatic effect.

"My back aches terribly" and "My feet are so swollen" were her favorite complaints. Her husband kept a step behind her, smiling at her dramatic performance.

By the time they reached their chambers, they had only a few minutes to prepare for dinner. Lizzy hastily changed out of her dirty walking dress and into a soft blue muslin and lace concoction that Georgina had given her a month ago. William helped her put on her slippers, as she couldn't quite reach over her expanding bump.

"You get lovelier every day, Mrs. Darcy" He commented as he brushed a stray curl from her face.

"Why, thank you Mr. Darcy. I do believe you are trying to butter me up" She grinned, leaning forward to kiss his cheek. "It will not work, I shall not save you from Mama"

She scurried as fast as she could out of their chambers, her husband hot on her heels.

"I do not need to be saved, just assisted at times" He called, catching up easily. He tucked her hand into his elbow.

"You picked your side of the bet, Mr. Darcy" She reminded him. "If it helps, Jane says that Mama fawns over you more then Mr. Bingley now"

Her smile and laugh did nothing to alleviate the horror he felt at that statement.

Dinner was a quiet affair. For the first week of their stay, dinner was an all out occasion, but as Jane and Mrs. Bennett settled into life at Pemberely, it was decided that it was not needed. Her husband held out her chair as she sat, and the moment she was tucked in, her mother began.

"Lizzy, you look tired. You must sleep more"

"I merely had a long day, Mama" She would reply.

"You should not walk so much! It is not good for the babe"

"I enjoy walking Mama, and the doctor from London tells me it is good for the baby"

"I never once walked the distances you travel, and I had five perfectly healthy daughters"

"Mary was quite sickly Mama" Lizzy reminded her.

"Mary has allergies" That was the truth, but as a babe, she had colic. "Your face is filthy, did you not wash before dinner?"

And so on, and so forth went the conversations. Eventually, around the second course, Mrs. Bennet would tire of her daughter, and move on to her son in law.

"William, dear" She had been given leave to refer to him by his Christian name. He regretted it almost immediately. Her topics of choice always started with her crooning out his name, looking at him with a gentle gaze. It was as mother like as Lizzy had ever seen her.

Tonight's conversation included the baptism, which considering the child was not even born yet, was quite a ways off. Mrs. Bennet assured them that it was a relevant topic, as regardless of the sex of the child, a baptism gown must be procured, and must be made of the finest lace.

Two hours later, Lizzy was granted permission to retire for the evening, taking her husband with her. She had admitted to feeling fatigued, and he backed her up, saying that she needed more rest. Mrs. Bennet tried to protest, as there was many a thing they needed to discuss, but she had said earlier that Lizzy needed more sleep, and she was loathe contradicting herself. Neither Lizzy nor Mr. Darcy knew who was more grateful for it.


	31. The Darcy's Are Afraid

She awoke to an empty bed and a sharp pain on the side of her back. She tried to sit up, but the pain grew worse. She winced and rang for Meera, who was there in an instant.

"Mrs. Darcy!" Meera gasped at the sight of her wincing mistress. Her face was screwed up in pain. Fat tears ran down her pale cheeks.

"Please, get my mother" She whispered; clenching her teeth as the pain gradually subsided. By the time she could open her eyes without wincing in pain, Mrs. Bennet was already in the room.

"Lizzy!" She hastened to her side, checking her forehead for fever, and then feeling her stomach. "Call for the doctor" She yelled to Meera. The young maid disappeared quickly.

"It is too early" Lizzy whispered, tears streaming down her face.

"Some children come early" Mrs. Bennet assured her.

"Not this early" Lizzy responded. "A few days, a week perhaps, but never a full month!"

"Elizabeth Katherine Darcy, calm yourself now" Mrs. Bennet snapped.

"William" Lizzy gasped after realizing that her husband was not there. "You must send for him!" He had left two days ago to go to Nottingham. Mr. Bingley had found an estate that both he and Jane liked; Jane had seen it in passing on her way to Pemberely. Mr. Darcy was asked to take a look at the fields, as they seemed a little under profit for such a large area. Thinking that she had a month left, Lizzy had made him leave, not that he wanted too. He was not expected back for another two days.

"We will, you mustn't worry" Mrs. Bennet warned her. Meera returned with a pitcher of water, and Mrs. Reynolds.

"The doctor is on his way" Mrs. Reynolds said. "I sent Patrick to Nottingham, Mrs. Darcy"

"Thank you Mrs. Reynolds" Mrs. Bennet whispered since Lizzy seemed a little out of it. Lizzy knew Patrick was one of the best riders. He would get to her husband in time.

Another wave of pain crashed through her body, she screamed, clutching at the bed sheets, tears pouring down her face. The pain left much quicker then the other time. Her breath was ragged. She felt moisture on her thighs, warm and sticky.

"Oh god, is that blood?" She sobbed. Mrs. Bennet tried her best to soothe her. She was surprisingly calm for such a nervous woman.

"Mrs. Reynolds, fetch Jane would you?" Mrs. Bennett asked, knowing that her eldest daughter was one of the only things that would call Lizzy down, at least for a few minutes. Mrs. Reynolds nodded, disappearing quickly to get Miss Bennet.

Lizzy was too lost in her pain, both physical and emotional, to notice the departure of the house keep. Within minutes though, Jane was through the door, still dressed in her nightgown, a robe hastily thrown over her shoulders.

"Lizzy" Jane put on a brave face and approached the bed. "Lizzy, dear, look at me"

"Jane, it's too early" She whispered, "And William isn't even here"

"All will be well Lizzy" Jane sat next to her on the bed, allowing her to clutch onto her side. She felt her sister's form tremble as she cried.

"How bad does it hurt?" Mrs. Bennet asked now that Lizzy was calmer.

"It comes and goes" Lizzy murmured against Jane's robe.

"Mrs. Darcy, Mrs. Bennet, Miss Bennet" Meera barged through the door, "The doctor is here, ma'am"

Doctor Williams was a middle aged, kind looking man with a heavy brow and thick grey hair. Lizzy was not that well acquainted with him, but Georgiana spoke nothing but praise, and William trusted him.

"Hello Mrs. Darcy" He smiled as he walked in, medical bag in tow. "Mrs. Bennet, Miss Bennet" Mrs. Bennet had insisted upon meeting him when she had first arrived.

"Doctor Williams" Lizzy had reluctantly drawn away from Jane and looked up at the doctor.

"Tell me where it hurts, please"

"My back, my side, my stomach. Everywhere" She told him truthfully, running her hand over her stomach.

"Mhmm" He approached and checked her forehead for fever. "I'm going to need to examine you now. If your sister would be ever so kind as to sit behind you and help you sit up" Jane awkwardly got behind her to support her back. Lizzy winced in pain as she did so. "Mrs. Bennet, if you would hold her left leg, Meera, dear, her right" Her mother brought up her dress as she held her legs.

"Is there blood?" Lizzy asked fearfully.

"Just a bit" He murmured. Lizzy felt that he was lying to make her feel better. She bit her lip as he continued. The pain was growing worse. In the end, the doctor told her that there was nothing he could do, that they had to wait to see what would happen. He wiped the blood from her, and gave her a dose of laudanum to alleviate the pain.

"Rest while you can, Mrs. Darcy." He patted her hand and moved over to the corner of the room where Mrs. Bennet was preparing a cold cloth for her daughter.

"Has Mr. Darcy been sent for?" He asked quietly. Lizzy could hear him though. The laudanum hadn't kicked in yet. Jane was humming above her, smoothing her hair.

"We sent a rider about a hour ago" Mrs. Bennet replied. "It's a two hour ride to Nottingham, do we have that time?"

"I do not know, but I fear that this will be a difficult birth"

Lizzy felt the laudanum kick in then. Her eyes drifted close, and everything went black.

Mr. Darcy POV

He awoke late in the morning, disappointed on having awoken so late then usual. He had been set on further examining the fields early on to get back to his wife quicker, but now he was behind schedule. Charles wasn't even awake yet though. He never was an early riser. He banged thrice on his door before giving up. He sighed and made his way to the common room to break his fast. The sun was hidden behind clouds.

"Here you are, sir" A pleasant older woman brought him a cup of hot coffee and a choice of several breakfast pastries and cheeses. He was halfway through his second cup of coffee when Charles made an appearance. His eyes were rimmed in sleep.

"Good morning, Darce" He smiled. "How's the coffee?"

"Better then that French stuff Caroline adores" He replied, motioning for the woman to bring another cup.

"What is the plan for today?"

"Examine the fields again, hope that we find something or nothing. I wish to get back to Elizabeth within a day."

"Ah, you plan to surprise her then" Charles grinned, nudging his arm.

"If you quit taunting me then I shall extend an invitation to visit to you, so that you may surprise Miss Bennet" Charles laughed and pretended to zip his lips shut.

"Have you decided on a name yet?" Charles asked after a second.

"Well, Francesca Anna Darcy if it is a girl, although Lizzy is positive it is not" Darcy told him, "And Bennet for a boy. Lizzy is keeping her lips sealed on the middle name,"

"You two are ridiculous. I have never heard of a couple betting on the sex of their unborn child" Charles laughed.

"Perhaps Miss Bennet will make a wager with you when your time comes" Darcy joked.

"We shall have all girls, I am certain. She is one of five sisters and I have two. Our families are both cursed with females" Charles moaned. "Caroline keeps pointing this out to me, as if that would change my mind on marrying her"

"She is still against the match?" He asked, feeling bad for his friend. He did not know what he would have done had Georgiana not loved Lizzy on first sight.

"She is, and is quite vocal about it. I had to send her to Louisa in London, which she berated me on. It is getting out of hand. I fear I will be forced to find another arrangement for her, I cannot have her undermining Jane's authority in her own home, and I cannot see Caroline relinquishing mistress status without a fight"

"Miss Jane is much too kind to say anything to her, of course" He had heard from Lizzy all about Jane's naivety to her future sister in law.

"Jane is an angel," Charles sighed. "I almost wish she would put Caroline in her place, but it would pain her to do so" Darcy laughed at the thought of it. Jane had been nothing but compliant since her arrival. She diffused almost all tension between Lizzy and her mother, and always smiled about it. Not to mention that her and Georgiana had become fast friends. He knew that Georgiana wrote to Jane while she stayed in London even.

"I cannot even picture that" He said, still chuckling as Charles sent gloomy glares his way.

"Master Darcy!" He heard his name and swiveled in his chair to look for the culprit. He was surprised to see Patrick, one of the estates groomers. He was breathing hard and was covered in mud. "Master Darcy!" He stopped in front of the two gentlemen.

"Patrick? What is it?"

"Mrs. Darcy, sir, she, she – something is wrong. Mrs. Reynolds sent me immediately, before the doctor had arrived even" He panted. He was out of his chair in an instant.

"Charles, take care of my things, see that Patrick and his horse get fed and taken care of. I have to go"

"Yes, of course" Charles dropped a few coins on the table. "I'll be back," He told Patrick. "Darce, go get dressed properly. I'll get the horse saddled" Darcy clapped his shoulder and ran to his rooms.

Ten minutes later he was on his horse, racing back to Pemberely.


	32. A Happy Birth

The weather held steady as he traveled back home, his heart thumping in his chest. His thoughts were filled with nothing but the death of his own mother, save for that in his thoughts now, her face was Lizzy's. Something was wrong, that was all he knew. Something was wrong, and he was not there.

He shook himself out of his morbid thoughts, knowing that he would have to focus on the road in he wanted to make it to Lizzy unscathed.

Meanwhile, the laudunam was not working with Lizzy. She was moaning and screaming in pain as the contractions hit.

"Mama?" Jane whispered as Lizzy settled again. Her eyes were screwed shut, her breathing harsh. Mrs. Bennet was at her side in an instant.

"Yes, dear?"

"I think she is bleeding again" Jane motioned to the slightly red sheets. "She's paler too"

"I'll fetch the doctor" Mrs. Bennet looked worried, but kissed both daughters of the forehead before leaving. Doctor Williams returned with her a few seconds later. He quickly set about examining Lizzy.

"She's loosing more blood," He told them. "We need to start the labor. We don't want to have to cut her open" It was a new thing, and it was not successful. Mrs. Bennet did not want to see her daughter cut open, not now, not ever.

"So we try the herbs the midwife provided?" Mrs. Bennet asked. "They worked for me when my fourth daughter was late"

"In terms of lateness of birth, they are usually effective. I do not know how these will effect your daughter, Mrs. Bennet," The doctor confessed.

"We have to try" Mrs. Bennet sighed. "Jane, have Mrs. Reynolds brew them into a cup of tea." Jane nodded with tears in her eyes and left to fetch the housekeeper.

"Have we any word of Mr. Darcy?"

"He should be here soon, provided Patrick reached him on time" Mrs. Bennet confessed. "I do not know where he is though"

"We will wait a few minutes then," He started to prepare his medical equipment as Mrs. Bennet attempted to convince Lizzy that her best option would be the herbs. She would give her the tea without telling her of the herbs if needed, but she wanted her to be willing.

"William isn't here, he has to be here"

"Lizzy, you need to have the baby now, the more time you delay, the more you hurt the both of you"

"It hurts, Mama," She whispered.

"I know, my dear daughter, I know it" She shushed her gently. "All will be well. This will all be a distant memory when you have your child wrapped safe in your arms. Just take the herbs, dear"

"I can't, please do not make me, please" She begged. Another contraction hit her. She gripped her mother's arm in her own, gasping for breath.

"Lizzy" Her mother sighed.

"His mother died in childbirth" She admitted, "He will be so scared, I need to see him before, please, please Mama" Mrs. Bennet hadn't known this detail and hoped that her daughters husband was safe in his travels.

"Do not fret now, Lizzy. You need your strength, we will give him another half hour, that is it"

He was riding fast through the forests surrounding Pemberely. He could see the great house in the distance. He raced faster, jumping off his horse as he approached, racing up the front steps and into the foyer.

"Master William!" Mrs. Reynolds raced down the stairs, dragging him back up them with her.

"How is she? What happened?" He asked as they ran up the stairs and down the corridors.

"She awoke this morning in pain. We called Doctor Williams; she's losing blood, but she refused to take the herbs until you were here" They had reached the door.

"Thank you Mrs. Reynolds" He pulled her into a hug, she was always like a mother to him, and he was thankful her strength at the moment. "Please write to Georgiana, tell her what has happened, ask the Colonel to bring her home as soon as possible"

"All will be well, William" He nodded once and entered her chambers.

"Oh, William, thank heavens!" Mrs. Bennet was rushing over to hug him, then dragging him to Lizzy's bedside. She was pale, paler then she should be. He could see blood on the sheets, and a thin layer of sweat was visible on her brow.

"William!" Lizzy was alert, but looked weak and pale.

"Lizzy" He whispered, kneeling next to her, gripping her hand in his own. "Oh Lizzy" He caressed her cheek, causing her eyes to flutter.

"Fitzwilliam" She whispered, tears gathering in her drowsy eyes. "I love you"

"I love you too, Lizzy," He whispered, kissing her forehead. "What is happening, Doctor Williams?"

"She's bleeding. We need to deliver the baby. She needs to take the herbs to hopefully speed up the process"

"Lizzy, please, take the herbs" She nodded and allowed him to help her drink the tea. She sputtered and gasped at a wave of pain hit her mid sip. He rubbed circles on her back as she breathed through it.

"Edward" She whispered as another wave of pain hit her. "Bennet Edward Darcy"

"Bennet Edward Darcy" He repeated. "You can name him yourself once this is over"

"Just-" She gasped. "Encase"

"Lizzy" He warned.

"Kiss me, please, William" He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers in an emotion filled kiss. He could feel her tears on his cheeks.

"You need to leave now, Mr. Darcy" The doctor told him.

"No, please, let him stay. I cannot do this without him" Mrs. Bennet and the doctor shared a look, but eventually it was decided that Mr. Darcy could stay. Jane excused herself; the birthing room was no place for an unmarried woman.

"Sit behind her, Mr. Darcy. Support her back" He pulled off his riding boots and did as the doctor bid. Lizzy was trembling in his arms, body tensed with pain and soaked in sweat.

"Alright Mrs. Darcy, I need you to push now"

"There's a good girl Lizzy, push" Mrs. Bennet encouraged, gripping her daughters hand.

"I can't," She whispered after several minutes of exhausted pushing. "I can't do it," She sobbed.

"Come on Lizzy, love, you can do it. Just picture little Fanny in your arms" Lizzy managed a small smile and laugh.

"Just wait for the pain to come, and push. Women do this everyday Lizzy" Mrs. Bennet reminded her.

Another half hour passed before the babe finally entered the world. It was dead silent as the doctor cut the cord and whisked the child to the warm blankets the midwife had waiting.

"It's a boy," The doctor whispered.

"Why isn't he crying? William, why isn't he crying?" Lizzy clutched at his shirt.

"I don't know, I don't know" He was going mad with worry as well. Babies were supposed to scream and cry as they were born. Georgiana's cries had awoken the whole house.

"He's breathing, ma'am" Meera called over from where she was helping the midwife clean the child. "He's breathing"

"You still have to deliver the after birth, Mrs. Darcy. I need you to keep pushing" The Doctor reminded her. Lizzy was distracted, but the pain was still there. She pushed again, just wanting to hear her child's voice.

"Is that another head?" Mrs. Bennet shrieked.

"Twins" The doctor murmured. "Come now, Mrs. Darcy, push again"

"Twins" He repeated in a daze, "Lizzy, we're having twins" She gave another watery smile and continued pushing. The second babe came into the world with quiet little mewing noises. Not quite the screams of most children, but noise none the less. Lizzy sagged with relief. Both her children were alive.

"Oh" Lizzy deflated against him. Her eyes were drifting close.

"It's another boy, Mrs. Darcy" She heard Meera say over the loud rushing noise in her ears.

"Lizzy, stay awake, Lizzy!"

"She's bleeding again"

"Lizzy!"

She was unconscious for the first week of her little boys' lives. She awoken exactly one week and seven hours later, eyes searching for her children, for her husband. Jane was sitting next to her in a chair.

"Jane" She whispered, her voice raspy from disuse.

"Lizzy! Oh, let me get William!" Jane kissed her forehead and ran from the room, skirts trailing behind her. Two minutes later he was rushing into the room, a large smile on his face.

"Lizzy!" He embraced her tightly on the bed. She winced in slight pain, but hugged back as tight as she could, tears now streaming down her cheeks.

"Fitzwilliam" She murmured softly. "Where are they? Please, are they alright?"

"They are perfectly healthy. They are perfect in general. Twenty little toes, and twenty wiggling fingers. Georgiana and Jane will bring them in a few minutes" He whispered.

"I'm sorry William" She whispered against his neck. "I am so sorry"

"For what, my love?" He asked.

"For scaring you. I know you must have been so worried"

"I will not lie, I was terrified beyond belief. But it is not your place to apologize for that. You are awake now, and our two little boys are healthy."

"Twins, I cannot truly believe it" She smiled.

"Well, believe it, these two are going to be absolute cads. He already winks at me, Lizzy!" Georgiana announced carrying a bundle of blue blankets into the room. She bent and kissed her sister on the cheek. "I am overjoyed that you are better now"

"Thank you Georgie" Lizzy whispered.

"Now, this is baby number one. William calls him Bennet" She placed the blankets in her arms. Lizzy looked down at her son in awe. He had large Darcy blue eyes and a thick patch of dark curls. He was smaller then most babies his age, but he had a healthy look to him. He blinked up at her.

"He is an absolute angel, do not let Georgiana dissuade you" Jane announced. "Bennet is quiet as a mouse only crying when needed. This little one cries when no one is around, which is very seldom, I assure you." Jane placed her blue blanketed bundle in Mr. Darcy's waiting arms. "Mama wishes to see you when you feel up to it. She knows you will need time with Mr. Darcy and the babes"

"Thank you, Jane, Georgiana" They both smiled and left the room arm and arm.

"They are already spoiling the two of them" Mr. Darcy remarked. He had adjusted himself so that he was lying next to Lizzy in the bed. She scooted gently over so that she was nestled against him, the babe still secure in her arms. At this angle she was able to hold one child while still being able to look at the other.

"William" She said.

"Hmmm?" Mr. Darcy asked, looking down to find his wife staring at the babe in his arms.

"We shall call him William"

"Are you certain?" He asked.

"Yes, William Francis, and Bennet Edward, for your father"

"Will and Ben"

"Ben and Will" Lizzy correct with a smile. "You know what this means, do you not?"

"I do not, but I am sure you shall tell me"

"Well, for one thing, the next child will have to be named Richard, or the Colonel shall never speak to us again" Mr. Darcy laughed, causing little William to open his eyes. They were green unlike Bennet's blue ones.

"And the other thing?"

"Well, since we now have two sons, you shall have to do my bidding for two whole weeks!"


	33. Mr and Mrs Bingley

**Okay, so this is my longest chapter thus far! Only a few more to go, however long they may be. I might cut the next one into two chapters. Everything is getting tied together now, leading to happy ever after ending, which must include closure and of course, Aunt Catherine! I hope you enjoy, and thank you ever so much for all the positive and helpful reviews! Esp. the guest who pointed out the Georgiana inconstancies, I have fixed chapter 13.**

It was decided that the Darcy family, including Georgiana, would travel to Hertfordshire for the Bingley wedding, and then to Kent for the holidays. The twins were deemed healthy enough for travel, for despite their early birth they were quite robust.

"He is positively fat" Georgiana giggled, lightly pinching Bennet's cheeks. The baby happily gurgled and drooled a bit.

"He is not. Look at William! He is clearly the larger of the two" Lizzy replied, pretending to struggle with lifting the other babe.

"Yes, but look at these fat little legs!"

"No, look at his stomach!"

The two went back and forth, wiggling and jiggling each aforementioned body part as the three month olds gurgled and drooled and happily allowed it.

"Are we ready to depart?" Mr. Darcy asked, leaning in the doorframe. "Or shall you continue to insult my sons farther on their slight baby fat?"

"Your sons?" Lizzy asked. "Well then, their baby fat clearly comes from your side of the family then. None of the Bennet girls were ever fat."

"I believe Miss Kitty is quite robust"

"Kitty is robust now, as a child she was all knees and elbows, I assure you"

"I was not a fat child" Georgiana remarked lightly.

"You were" Mr. Darcy smirked. "You were quite the robust child. Father had a difficult time holding you, in fact" Lizzy giggled into her hands while Georgiana tried to look offended while struggling not to smile.

"Here, this belongs to you" She stood and gave Bennet to him. "I shall be awaiting you in the carriage, brother, sister" She gave a curt nod and left.

"Your Aunt is quite temperamental, like most women are. You shall have to be weary, little one," He told his son.

"Oh for heavens sake" Lizzy groaned. Standing with William in her arms, she walked to her husband and son. "Do not follow your fathers advice on women, or you shall be single forever" She smirked. Mr. Darcy play scowled, earning him a kiss on the cheek from his wife.

"Come now, darling, or we shall never make it to Longbourne in time for the wedding"

It took a full week to reach Hertfordshire, while it usually only took two days at most. With the children however, they thought it would be prudent not to overtax themselves, so they stopped often and enjoyed the towns and villages they passed through.

"Does is look any different?" Georgiana asked as they pulled into the drive of Longbourne. Lizzy sighed.

"It does. It is not as big as I remember, nor does quite feel like home," Lizzy murmured.

"It looks like Bennet knows that we are here at last" Georgiana held William in her arms so that Mr. Darcy could help them down. Mrs. Bennet was eagerly awaiting them on the front porch.

"Oh, my grandbabies!" She cried at long last as they approached. She flew down the stairs, skirts flying behind her, and made a beeline straight to William. Georgiana gave him up quickly, exchanging a few words with Mrs. Bennet, and then fleeing to the safety of Jane. Kitty was quite eager to see the boys as well. Mr. Bennet hugged his daughter first, then accepting William with a few tears in his eyes.

"He is beautiful, my dear" He told her, gently rocking the slumbering babe.

"That is Bennet Edward, Papa" Lizzy murmured, leaning against her husband while watching her father with tears in her own eyes. Mrs. Bennet passed William back to Lizzy after Kitty had held him for a few moments. "And this is William Francis" Mr. Bennet balanced the two babes in his arms, a warm smile on his face.

"They are perfect," He pronounced. "And tired of travel, I am sure. Thank you, my dear, for stopping here first, but do not let us detain you any further. We shall arrive at Netherfield tonight for dinner" Mr. Bennet passed Bennet to Jane for a quick cuddle, and passed William to Mary. Mary held the babe awkwardly.

"Mary, come now, he shall not bite" Kitty jested. Mary scowled but smiled faintly as William blinked up at her in surprise.

"He has your eyes" Mary remarked.

"He does" Kitty smiled. "And Bennet looks to have Mr. Darcy's blue eyes"

"They are identical save for the eyes," Lizzy told them. "And temperaments of course. Bennet is far pickier. William is much more relaxed"

After a few more minutes spent admiring the twins, the family got back into the carriage to travel the short distance to Netherfield, where Mr. Bingley would be awaiting them.

Much like the Bennet family had, Mr. Bingley was eagerly awaiting the Darcy carriage outside his front door. He was alone, the Hurst's and Caroline had not yet arrived from London.

"Ah! Welcome, welcome!" He called softly. Mr. Darcy once again relinquished the child he held to Georgiana to help them down. He clapped his old friend on the back as the women approached.

"Bingley, mate, may I introduce my sons, William and Bennet?" Bingley smiled like a fool along with Darcy, cooing like women over the twins and remarking on how tall and strong they would grow to be.

"They act like old women fawning over their grandchildren" Georgiana remarked. Charlie had Bennet in his arms while William held the younger William.

"I cannot wait to see the look upon Caroline's face!" Charles laughed.

"Have you not told her?"

"Heavens, no! Imagine her face when she sees you have two children! It shall be priceless," He laughed.

"And when are they due to arrive?"

"The day after tomorrow, hopefully before the feast I have planned. Oh, no, don't cry little one" Bennet's face was turning red and tears were forming. It would only be a second before he started to scream. "Mrs. Darcy, I believe your son has had enough of me for the day. I shall relinquish him to your capable hands" He hastily passed the child back to its mother before the bawling started.

"Ah, did Uncle Charlie scare you, little boy?" She cooed, rubbing her nose on his smaller one. He laughed and went to grab it, but she pulled away. Charles laughed as the child giggled.

"Come now, I am sure you are tired."

Caroline and the Hurst's arrived without any difficulty. They arrived early in fact. So early that Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley were still out of the house, and in town. She suspected that it had something to do with Jane's wedding gift.

"Mrs. Darcy, Miss Darcy, Miss Bingley and her party have arrived" The housekeeper told them nervously. Lizzy knew her from her youth. She was only a few years older then Jane, but a capable housekeeper, despite Miss Bingley's intimidation.

"Oh, dear. Send a rider to town, if you would. And thank you for the warning, Mrs. Smith" Lizzy and Georgie had been sitting in the sunroom with Bennet since breaking their fast. William had decided to take William with him and Charles to town. Lizzy rose from the ground and smoothed her wrinkled skirts. She had regained her figure quite quickly after the birth, but was still a little self-conscious. Georgiana rose as well, quickly fluffing her own skirts.

"He looks like a little worm" She remarked as she watched the boy wiggle and squirm on the blankets.

"Yes, he does. I am afraid we do not have further time to admire his squirming little self, Miss Bingley can hardly be left waiting outside" Lizzy said dramatically, bending to pick up little Bennet.

"Little monster" Georgiana laughed as they walked. Bennet had a chunk of her hair in his mouth. He happily sucked on it.

"Bennet!" Lizzy cried, gently prying the curly locks from his toothless mouth. He smiled gummily at her.

"He is a little charmer"

"Imagine if he chews on Miss Bingley's hair, or worse, Lady Catherine's!"

The broke into a fit of giggles imagining the sight. Georgiana's cheeks turned quite red, and Lizzy knew her own face would be flushed.

"They just pulled into the drive!" Mrs. Smith called from the front door. Lizzy and Georgiana stopped on the stairs of the foyer.

"Oh, where is his bonnet?" Lizzy cried, looking for the offending garment. Georgiana shrugged.

"Let it be. He has marvelous dark curls"

"He looks like a miniature Fitzwilliam, in truth" Lizzy remarked. Bennet had his father's eyes after all.

"That he does" Georgie whispered as the party entered the foyer.

"Miss Bingley, Mr. Hurst, Mrs. Hurst, how happy I am to see you" She said with a smile plastered to her face. "I am afraid that Charles and William are still in town, we had not expected you until dinner time"

"We made excellent time roads, Mrs. Darcy" Mr. Hurst stated. "I believe I shall excuse myself, I will allow you ladies to catch up"

"Oh, my manners! Please, allow me to introduce my son, Bennet," She said. "And of course, you all know Miss Georgiana Darcy"

"It is a pleasure to see you all again" Georgie bowed.

"And you as well, Miss Darcy" Caroline replied. Mrs. Hurst merely smiled.

"He is a beautiful child, Mrs. Darcy" Mr. Hurst remarked. She had never remembered him being so gentleman like. "I hope that Mrs. Hurst's and I's first child will be ever so healthy as this young man"

"Oh, congratulations!" Lizzy could not help herself. She hugged her future sister in law. Mrs. Hurst smiled gently.

"I thank you" She replied softly.

"If there is anything you have need of, please do not hesitate in asking" Lizzy told the woman. She nodded. Mr. Hurst took his leave then, leaving the women to their baby talk. Lizzy led them to the parlor.

"You shall be an aunt, are you not excited, Miss Bingley?" Georgiana asked demurely. "I love being an Aunt, it is so much fun. You can spoil them without respite"

"Georgiana is proving to be a very lenient Aunt, she allows her hair to be chewed and her gowns to be drooled upon" Lizzy jested.

"But he is just so darling that I cannot find it within myself to stop him" Georgiana plucked Bennet from her mothers arms, cooing at him. Bennet giggled and clapped his little hands.

"If I may ask, Mrs. Darcy, he seems to be quite older then I expected. Was he not due in September?" Mrs. Hurst asked. Lizzy remembered them telling the family that the baby was due then.

"Ah, yes, Bennet is three months old this week. He was born late July," She told them. "He is perfectly healthy though, and quite fat as Georgiana likes to point out"

"Do you plan on having more children?" Mrs. Hurst blushed at her blunt question. "I apologize, I just cannot imagine having to go through this awful morning sickness again"

"I was never much sick, I confess" She remarked. "I do want several children however, but as of now, my hands are quite full. I should like to have at least one daughter however"

"Mr. Darcy must be happy that he now has an heir" Caroline remarked. She was staring at the child from her spot on the settee.

"My husband is happy that Bennet is a healthy and happy child," She stated firmly.

"Of course" Caroline smirked.

"Mrs. Darcy, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy are now arriving" Mrs. Smith announced. Caroline looked mad that the housekeeper was treating Lizzy as the mistress of the estate, but held her tongue.

"Shall we greet them on the back balcony?" Lizzy asked, "I am sure that must miss your only brother"

"Indeed" Mrs. Hurst said with a small smile. "I still cannot quite managed to wrap my head around the fact that our little Charlie will be married on the morrow"

"He is a man grown, it must be difficult to see him with another woman" Lizzy remarked.

"We raised our brother, Mrs. Darcy" Mrs. Hurst said softly. "It is indeed very difficult to watch him start his own family, without us. But it is what makes him happy, and that is what makes us happy, is that not right, Caroline?"

"Of course" Caroline replied.

"And Jane is such a wonderful, kind, loving woman. I have no doubt that Bennet and my future child shall have a playmate soon enough" Mrs. Hurst and Lizzy laughed, while Georgiana flushed a light pink color. Caroline looked emotionless.

"I believe we shall be great friends, Mrs. Hurst" Lizzy giggled as they walked towards the back entrance of the estate. Happiness in her marriage and the impending birth of her first child had apparently changed Louisa Hurst. Lizzy could not say that she not like change, for in fact it made the older woman much more amiable like her brother.

"I believe so, Mrs. Darcy. Please, call me Louisa"

"And you shall call me Lizzy, of course"

"Did they walk to town?" Caroline asked as they waited.

"Yes, it was such a lovely day. William told me it was only about a mile up the road, not taxing in the least for two young men" Georgiana told her. "May I hold Bennet, Lizzy?" The babe was fussing in his mother's arms.

"Of course" Lizzy passed the boy to his aunt. He gurgled and giggled and chewed on her curls.

"You allow him drool on your beautiful hair?" Caroline asked, shocked.

"It is just drool. He means no harm by it, do you Ben?" The baby gurgled in response. "Does he not look exceptionally like William?"

"The similarities are astounding" Caroline remarked dryly.

"Ah, here they are! Mrs. Smith told us you were waiting in the back, but Bingley here did not believe her" Mr. Darcy called from behind them. Charles and William were exiting the house.

"Caro! Louisa!" He embraced each of his sisters tightly, smiling as he did so.

"Miss Bingley" Her husband bowed, William safely in his arms. "Mrs. Hurst"

"Mr. Darcy" They both curtsied.

"May I introduce my son, William?" Caroline looked like she might faint. Mrs. Hurst smiled and laughed.

"Oh twins, how delightful" She cooed at the child.

"How blessed you are" Caroline managed to say.

"Oh, Caro, come here. This one is even cuter then the other!" Louisa cried.

"Would you like to hold him, Louisa?" Lizzy asked.

"Oh, thank you. I would be delighted" Mr. Darcy passed William to Mrs. Hurst with a confused smile.

"I believe Bennet missed you, brother" Georgiana passed him his other son. "He was quite put out that you did bring him to town as well"

"He went on the tour of the grounds. I cannot carry them both" He scowled but kissed the babes forehead with a smile.

"Louisa, where is Mr. Hurst?" Mr. Bingley asked, looking around.

"Oh, he went to freshen up. He did not want to participate in our ladies gossip"

"I do not think I would want that either" Mr. Bingley joked.

"Would you like to hold the babe, Miss Bingley?" Mr. Darcy asked, gesturing to Bennet who was now snoozing. Miss Bingley had no polite way to decline. She awkwardly accepted the child, holding him stiffly in her arms.

"You look just like my sister Mary!" Lizzy smiled. "Relax, Miss Bingley, he is but a babe"

"He is rather heavy," She told them.

"Oh, I think a little bit of baby fat is rather adorable" Mrs. Hurst remarked. "They have different eyes, how peculiar. This one has your eyes, Lizzy."

"Yes, William has my eyes, while Bennet has the Darcy eyes. Both have such unruly dark curls though, darker then mine have ever been"

"Back when Darce and I shared a room at the university, his hair was quite curly when he forwent cutting it"

"Is it, dear?" Lizzy smiled. "You have been blaming me for their unruly mops of hair all this time"

"Twas a gape, my love" He smiled. "Besides, Bennet's hair is far lighter then William's, quite similar to yours"

"Bennet enjoys the outside air much more then William. The sun surely lightens it" Georgiana remarked.

"We should probably go feed them, love" Mr. Darcy murmured. "They have a long day tomorrow, and I am sure they are quite tired"

They excused themselves and found their way to their rooms and the makeshift nursery. Their nanny was waiting for them, along with the wet-nurse. With kisses to both foreheads and all four cheeks, they left the twins in the capable hands of the woman.

"Is it unseemly that I cannot bear to be parted from them without acutely feeling it?" Lizzy asked from her spot in the tub.

"No, my dear, for I feel it too" Mr. Darcy replied, drying himself off by the fireplace. She admired his naked form. He shook out his dark wet curls.

"They shall look just like you in time" Lizzy remarked.

"Well we shall have to another, a girl, to look just like you" Lizzy laughed and attempted splashing him with water, but missed her mark terribly.

"We have plenty to handle now, we can wait"

"Of course dear" He knelt by the tub and brought the washcloth over her shoulder gently. She leaned back and shut her eyes. A moan escaped as he continued his ministrations south.

"Mhm, William"

"Yes, darling?"

"The doctor said we cannot, not yet" She managed to tell him between waves of pleasure.

"He never said this was not allowed," He told her, hands disappearing beneath the water.

Dinner was a rather dull affair. Jane and Bingley kept making doe eyes at each other, Caroline was rather barbed in her remarks, and Mrs. Bennet fawned over the twins. Louisa announced her pregnancy to her brother and the Bennet family, and then everyone left rather early in order to be in tiptop shape for tomorrow.

"Jane" Lizzy called as she was leaving. Jane turned and Lizzy captured her in a tight embrace. "I am sorry that I cannot spend the night with you, as you did for me" She told her sister. "But I shall see you bright and early tomorrow morning to help you dress for the wedding, I promise. Sleep well, dear sister" She kissed her porcelain cheek.

"Thank you, Lizzy" Jane replied. "Kitty has offered to be my bedmate for the night, and I cannot say that I will not enjoy her tittering little anecdotes and her effusive praise of Mr. Bingley's character"

"Just remember that whatever mama tells you on the morrow is quite untrue, and you shall be fine"

Jane blushed and hugged her sister one last time before departing for the carriage. Her cheeks tinted pink as Mr. Bingley handed her in.

As she entered her chambers for the night, she found her husband and sons cuddled amongst the pillows. Often the boys would sleep cradled between them. She dressed quickly in her nightclothes and joined her family on the bed.

"Goodnight, Bennet" She kissed one fat little cheek.

"Goodnight, William" She kissed another.

"And goodnight, Fitzwilliam, I love you all very much" She kissed his lips gently, savoring the feel.

"Goodnight, Elizabeth, my love" He whispered. They clasped their hands under the pillows and drifted off to sleep.

Morning came much too soon.

"Tis thicker still" Mira commented as she brushed out the tangles in her hair. Mr. Darcy had left to carry the babes back to their nursery to be prepared for the day.

"Curious thing, is it not?" Lizzy was quite certain her hair had grown thicker after the birth of her sons. It made Mira's job quite the hassle.

"No worries, ma'am" Mira told her, brushing it and styling it into an elaborate twist. She allowed it to flow freely down her back.

"Shall you like the silver clip or the gold ones?"

"The silver ones, I think" The silver ones, given to her by Lady Fitzwilliam as a belated wedding gift, were shaped as leaves with little blue and purple stones on the bottom to look like flowers on a vine.

She dressed in a lilac dress with silver embroidery on the hems and neckline to match the clips and allowed Mira to clasp a silver choker around her neck.

"You look beautiful ma'am. And if I may say so, your figure is much the same as it was before the twins" Mira told her.

"Thank you" She laughed. It was true that she had firmed up much quicker then she expected. The only difference in her form from before and after the twins was her increased bust. Jane teased her about it, for before the babes, Lizzy was quite jealous of Jane's larger bust.

"Elizabeth?" Mr. Darcy was knocking on the door. Mira curtsied and made her exit, allowing Mr. Darcy entrance as she left.

"You look radiant, are you quite ready to go?"

"Nearly, are the boys awake?" The twins would not be attending the actual ceremony, but would be present for the informal breakfast ceremony after the wedding.

"They just fell asleep" She pouted slightly, disappointed that she would not be able to see her sons before she left. "You shall see them soon. You must be going now though, Jane is waiting"

He handed her into a carriage and she arrived at Longbourne not ten minutes later. They house was chaotic. Mrs. Bennet was running from room to room, Mr. Bennet was laughing at his wife, and Mary was plucking at the piano.

"Mary, dear, come here. I brought you a new dress for the wedding" Lizzy gestured to Watkins who was holding several garment boxes. Mary stood, confused.

"My dress is appropriate for the wedding, I hardly need a new one"

"This one is ever so nice though. Georgiana picked it out herself. She would be quite put out if you neglected to wear it" Mary frowned deeper but nodded. Lizzy smiled happily and instructed Watkins to bring the boxes up the stairs and to Mary's room.

"Kitty, dear, I bought you a new gown. It awaits you in Mary's room. Help each other dress, I shall help Jane," She told the younger girl as she emerged from Jane's room. Kitty hugged her, and thanked her profusely before darting away to Mary's room.

Jane was sitting on their former bed, wringing her hands.

"Do not tell me that you are nervous" She smiled. Jane looked up and smiled back at her. "Mr. Bingley is in love with you Jane, your marriage will be full of bliss and happiness, like a fairytale, one that you deserve, I might add"

"Oh, Lizzy, I am so nervous" She admitted.

"For the wedding or the wedding night?" Lizzy teased, sitting beside her sister.

"Both. Tell me true, mama has already told me what to expect, but on your wedding night, was it like she described?" Lizzy smiled sadly.

"I will tell you the truth of it, but you must keep it a secret, dear sister" She smirked now. "Mr. Darcy and I traveled all night to Derbyshire. We both fell asleep in the carriage. I awoke to him shaking me. I had been having a nightmare. I started to sob; I could not take his pity any longer. We traveled in silence for another hour until we arrived. He showed me to my chambers, introduced me to my new maid, who dressed me in the most beautiful white silken gowns. He had gone through a lot a trouble to secure my comforts; he had gotten me several new dresses, nightclothes, etc. I sat finished exploring the room and sat upon the bed, waiting for him to come to me as mama had said he would. I was trembling like a leaf in fear by the time her arrived" Lizzy paused. Jane quirked her brow.

"I do not need the sordid details, but please, do continue"" Jane pleaded. Lizzy laughed now.

'He arrived at my door carrying a tray of pastries and hot chocolate" Jane looked very confused now. "I am sure I looked just as confused as you do now. He led me to the sitting room, and begged me to eat something. I hadn't eaten in days in truth. I was too plagued by my nightmares, too sick to hold anything down. He looked so sincere though, and so worried for my healthy that I found myself polishing off several pastries," Jane laughed now as Lizzy blushed.

"And then?"

"I asked him if food was a traditional part of the marriage bed," Lizzy laughed again. "We both blushed at that. And then he told me that he did not wish to consummate our marriage that night, and I felt ashamed and relieved. He confessed that he loved me, but he knew that I did not share such sentiments. He continued to tell me that he would not force himself upon me until I returned those sentiments. I started to cry again, I felt as if I did not deserve his kindness, not after everything he had already done."

"Oh Lizzy" Jane sighed, hugging her sister. "You did not deserve what that lecherous man did to you"

"I know that now, dear, but at the time, I was lost. William decided then that courting me properly was the best idea, so he did just that. I told him that I loved him almost 4 months into our marriage, and we finally consummated the whole thing 5 months in. And so, the moral of the story is that if your husband loves you, as Mr. Bingley loves you, he will treat with love, and tenderness. And if you should decide that you do not wish to lie with him tonight, he will respect that. But I shall tell you that it is a wondrous thing, Jane. It is nothing like mama has said. It will hurt the first time, but after that" Lizzy grinned at her sister, causing her to blush, "You shall find yourself not leaving the bedchamber for days"

'Lizzy!" Jane gasped, covering her red face.

"Oh Jane, you are much too easy to tease." Lizzy stood and grabbed the brush from the table.

"Have you any word from Lydia?"

"Last we heard she was in Liverpool. She wrote that she was unable to come to the wedding due to a scheduling conflict"

"You wish she was here," Lizzy stated softly.

"I wish that she was fooled into marriage by that cad" Jane replied.

"As do I," Lizzy replied softly. She had tried to forget about her sister, but it was near impossible. She worried constantly, especially since Lydia refused to write to her.

"She chose her path in life" Jane sighed sadly.

"Enough of this sadness. We have a wedding to prepare you for. Lydia was old enough to make the right decision. We cannot dwell on it any longer" Jane nodded slowly, but still looked quite dejected.

The wedding was simply gorgeous. Armed with almost a year to plan the event, Mrs. Bennet had spared no detail. The flowers were white and yellow, to match the yellow sash on Jane's pure white gown. It was adorned with fresh water pearls, and lace imported from India. Her veil, since she had opted against the bonnet, was made from the same lace with more pearls and embroidery. She looked like an angel.

Even Caroline Bingley managed a smile as the happy couple kissed at the end. Louisa cried, as did Mrs. Bennet. Lizzy had tears in her eyes, as Georgiana. Kitty clapped and cheered as the two exited, while Mary said an extra prayer for the newly married couple.

"I think the parson is quite enamored by Miss Mary" Georgiana whispered as they exited the church. Mary, in her new pastel colored gown, looked much more comely then usual.

"We always thought Mary would make an excellent parson's wife" Lizzy replied.

"You should not gossip so much," Her husband told them. He had Georgiana on her left, and Lizzy on his right. "But Miss Kitty seems to have attracted the notice of the Lucas boy, as well"

"William!" Georgiana laughed. Lizzy smiled at her husbands teasing. Kitty looked radiant as ever in her sunshine yellow gown. Her dark curls contrasted beautifully against it.

"It was a beautiful ceremony," Lizzy told them.

"They shall be very happy" Georgiana agreed.

"Not nearly as happy as us, though" Mr. Darcy told them, kissing her hand. Georgiana looked away.

The breakfast at Netherfield was rather short, as the Bingley's had a boat to catch for the continent for the honeymoon. The guests all fawned over the twins, and then it was time for the couple to leave. Everyone threw rice as they left, pelting Mr. Bingley, and lightly throwing it at Jane.

"Have fun, though I have no doubt that you shall be deliriously happy in your marriage, dear sister" Lizzy told her, hugging her tightly.

"Thank you Lizzy" Jane murmured. "I expect weekly letters though"

"You shall have them, I promise. It shall be you neglecting to write me weekly, I assure you" Jane flushed once again, and then the carriage was off, carrying them to their futures.

Later that night, as they lay in bed at Netherfield, the twins in the nursery for this night, Mr. Darcy brought up their impending visit to Kent.

"We do not have to go if you do wish to see them"

"I need to face him," She whispered. "He cannot haunt me for the rest of my life"

She fell into a fitful sleep, and was awoken by her husband shaking her shoulders. She panicked for the second, forgetting where she was.

"Lizzy, shush, you are safe," He whispered. She collapsed against him, sobs wracking through her body.

"You had a nightmare last night as well" She did not want him to know that she had been plagued with them ever since they returned to Hertfordshire, ever since they got one step closer to seeing him again. "I cannot watch you scream and shake in your sleep another night, Lizzy, please, I want to help you"

"He was chasing me again, through the woods," She whispered. "I was wearing my beautiful wedding dress. He would catch me near the ravine, holding me down in the mud. Whispering such hateful things, spitting in my face. He would tear the lace and muslin from me, leaving me naked and cold. I could feel the dampness of the soil, I could smell the storm approaching. He was disrobing himself, he was naked," She described her dream in a cold, detached voice. He hugged her closer to himself, sharing his warmth, kissing her neck, her cheeks, anything he could reach.

Salty tears were flowing, her body trembling with grief.

"I do not understand why I still dream of it. I am so happy, deliriously so, with our life together. I love you, and William, and Bennet, and Georgiana and everyone else at Pemberely. I had not dreamed about it for months, until we came here, not even when we visited for Easter. I thought it was over and done with. I thought I had moved on," She whispered.

"He will never touch you again, love. I will rip him limb from limb if he so much as looks at you the wrong way" He promised.

"They day we came here, we passed the copse of trees where he first accosted me. So vividly I could picture him slapping my cheek, I scant dared to breathe. And then we were gone, and I could breath, and everything was right in the world. But then I saw the dress I wore that day in Kitty's wardrobe, hanging innocently. And then the nightmares returned, and nothing could keep them at bay, not your arms, not the twins, nothing. I just want it to stop. I need it to stop. I need to see that he has no power over me, not anymore" She whispered brokenly.

"You are a strong woman, Elizabeth Darcy. That pitiful excuse of a man has no control over you, despite what you think. You are a brilliant, gentle, wonderful woman, a loving and caring mother, and the best wife a man could ever even dream of. Do not forget that," He told her firmly as he wiped tears from her cheeks.

"He inherits Longbourne when father dies, he will always hold that over me" Lizzy whispered. "He will throw my family out in a heartbeat, before my father is even cold in his grave"

"He will not inherit Longbourne, I have seen to that, my love" Lizzy looked up in confusion. "He signed over all rights to the estate to myself, who in turn, signed it over to your parents, both of them. Your father is well aware of this, though I do not believe it is common knowledge"

"When did you do this?" She whispered, looking up at him. He looked down and kissed her forehead gently.

"They day he attack you. I may have broken his nose and threatened his life"

"William!" She said, shocked.

"He hurt you, Lizzy, I could not let him leave unscathed, but I knew serious injury would cause you more pain, so he left with just a broken nose, I promise"

"You are a good man, William, an amazing husband, and an even better father. I do not know what would have become of me had you not interceded on my behalf"

"You would never have been left in the hands of that man, I can assure you that. I love you, my dearest wife"

"As I love you, Fitzwilliam"


	34. Lady Catherine Needs Some Love

**I am so sorry this took so long! I had ideas on how I want their first interaction to take place, but I want it to be realistic as well. I'm struggling needless to say! This is a little love for Lady Catherine, and the next, whenever it is published, will be Collins and Lizzy! I cannot decide if I want Charlotte to have a happy ending (aka leaving Collins) or if she deserves what she got into (aka staying with Collins) **

**Thanks for continuing to read!**

Rosing's, the estate belonging to Lady Catherine DeBourgh, rose in the distance like some medieval castle. It was made of dark, weathered stones, and had two turrets. The only thing it seemed to be missing was the moat and the knights surrounding it.

"It looks medieval," She whispered to her husband as they approached the long driveway. The twins were asleep, and she hoped that they could stay asleep for a little while longer. Georgiana held Bennet in her arms, while William rested peacefully in her own arms.

"Just wait until you see the inside," Her husband whispered back. "Caroline Bingley loves it"

She laughed softly.

"And where is the parsonage?" She asked after a second.

"A half a mile away on the Western entrance"

"We took the eastern entrance"

"I did want to alert them to our presence prematurely. I will ensure that we only interact with that odious man when it is absolutely inescapable" He promised.

"He cannot hurt me anymore, Will darling, I need to believe that"

"No, he cannot hurt you anymore, Lizzy, I would never let him harm you, or our children, I promise" He placed a soft kiss to her temple, and gently ran his hand over William's soft curls.

"I was hoping to write to Charlotte, invite her and the babe for tea, without her husband's presence"

"I will arrange it, do not worry" He promised.

"With you, I never worry"

Several servants, more then they actually needed, met them at the front door. Their trunks were quickly unloaded and disappeared, presumably to their rooms. The carriage was taken away to the stable, and then they were led into the large estate and down a cold and dark corridor.

"William, it looks so dreary" Georgiana whispered as they passed ancient portraits of DeBourgh's past.

"Yes, it certainly does" William now snoozed peacefully in his father's arms, while Bennet sat alert in his mothers.

"I do not think Bennet likes it," She giggled as the child sneezed and pawed at his face. She wiped his little nose as they walked, cooing at the child, earning herself a little giggle and gurgle.

"In here, sir, ma'am, miss" The housekeeper had led them to a very ornate parlor. Plush velvet couches and settee's adorned the floor, along with a large oriental rug. A huge, shiny piano sat in one corner, and a harp in the other.

"She will want to hear you play, Georgiana" He commented as they settled into the velvet sofa.

"Must I?" Georgiana asked, blue eyes wide in panic.

"It is unbecoming of a young woman to beg, Georgiana" Came a voice from the door. She turned to see an older woman, a little older then her own mother, dressed in the finest silks and velvets, enter the room.

"Aunt Catherine!" Georgiana curtsied. Catherine DeBourgh was a thin, straight-backed woman. She had steel grey hair, piled high into a fashionable plait, sharp cheekbones, and large, see all blue eyes.

"Come, give your Aunt a proper greeting, Georgiana"" Georgiana stood hastily and gracefully made her way to the woman. She dutifully kissed the woman's weathered cheek.

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Aunt" Georgiana told her. "You look very well"

"Thank you, dear. I feel better then ever. William, are you going to continue with this overwhelming rudeness, or shall Georgiana have to introduce me to your wife?"

"Apologizes, Aunt. I was distracted" He stood, William still in his arms. "Aunt Catherine, this is my wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy, Lizzy, dear, this is my Aunt, Lady Catherine DeBourgh" She curtsied with Bennet clutched to her chest.

"My Lady, it is an honor to meet you" She murmured. "May I have the honor to introduce you to your great-nephews?"

"Of course" Lady Catherine nodded, approaching the two of them.

"Aunt, this is the eldest, Bennet Edward Darcy, and this is William Francis Darcy"

"Would you like to hold one?" Lizzy asked, as Aunt Catherine looked the boys over. She looked up, surprised.

"Yes, yes of course, I thank you" She replied. She handed Bennet over, who looked up at his new great Aunt with his large blue eyes, and smiled.

"He looks just like you, Fitzwilliam" Lady Catherine remarked softly. She was so focused on the child; it was like she was in a trance. Her husband smiled over Lady Catherine's shoulder and gave her the thumbs up. "You know, the blue eyes are a trait that the Fitzwilliam has had for centuries. Anne's eyes are brown, though."

"My mother had vivid blue eyes" William remarked.

"Yes, yes she certainly did. Your father's eyes were more of the color Georgiana has, while you, Fitzwilliam, have your mothers eyes"

"Aunt Catherine, is Anne here?" Georgiana asked.

"Anne is not feeling too well, perhaps she shall be up for a visit in a few hours" Lady Catherine replied quietly. Fitzwilliam gave her a concerned look.

"Lady Catherine, I beg your pardon, but it is past time that the children were fed. Pray, excuse me"

"Of course, children should be kept on a strict schedule if they are ever to learn" Lady Catherine bristled, back to her normal self.

"I beg your leave to freshen up as well, Aunt" Georgiana added.

Lady Catherine permitted it, and her husband asked to speak with his Aunt in her study. Georgiana carried Bennet while she toted William up the stairs, behind the servant assigned to show them to their room. Georgiana followed Lizzy into her room so that she could help bathe the boys who were dusty from their travels.

"She does seem as, well, bitter or commanding as William had warned" Lizzy remarked as they washed the boys off with wet clothes.

"She was remarkably tame, yes" Georgiana agreed, "It was not her nature, though, she seemed a little sad. I worry that it is over Anne's delicate health"

"She has never been a healthy woman, no?"

"William tells me that she was once very outgoing and robust, the epitome of health. But a few years after her father passed away, she developed aches and pains, bruises and was prone to nose bleeds. She was around ten, or so. She is only four years my elder"

"She is of an age to myself"

"Yes, and you look remarkably similar. Anne, as a child, had long dark curls, a trait she inherited from her father. Her eyes were always so wide and wondrous, and she had quite the habit of disobeying Lady Catherine, or so William tells me"

"She sees me as how her daughter's life should have unfolded," Lizzy whispered, her heart going out to the poor woman she had never met, and her mother. "She has but one daughter"

"She had two sons, I met the youngest as a child. Arthur was the eldest. He drowned in the pond they used to have in the gardens. Lady Catherine filled that in after his death, he was but eight years old. He was older then William, in fact, a year or two. Then Anne was born, and then the youngest, Aldrich was two years my junior. I was to marry him, William was to marry Anne. Anne got sick when she was ten, I was six, and Aldrich was four. He was a beautiful little boy, big blue eyes and curly blonde hair. Anne had a fever, but it wasn't anything new, she was always sick now. But then Aldrich caught it. He never woke up"

"Oh, that is terrible!"

"Yes, Aunt Catherine hasn't been the same since" Georgiana took her leave then, she still had to bathe for dinner, and Lizzy took the time to feed William, who was awake. Bennet snoozed peacefully on the large feather bed. By the time that William was finished, Bennet was now awake. She put William down to sleep, and fed Bennet.

William came up to the room just as Bennet finished suckling. The baby was currently squirming and giggling all over the carpet, making funny faces every couple of seconds. He was not as good of a sleeper as William.

"Where is Ben?" She would ask, covering her eyes. Bennet would gurgle and she would take her hands away, saying happily, "There he is!" The baby would laugh and drool.

"I see you two are fun, but I believe it is time for Bennet to nap, and for Lizzy to bathe" He took Bennet from the ground, and then picked Will up from the bed.

"All of my favorite men" She laughed, kissing each male's nose. William scrunched his up in his sleep, and Bennet made to grab her face. Her husband tilted his face just in time to catch her lips with her own.

"You are all little scoundrels," She laughed. "Go, put them down, and I shall bathe"

William returned as she was soaking.

"How is your cousin, truly?" She asked as he sat on the settee, untying his cravat. He sighed.

"Anne is not well at all, in truth. The physicians do not think she will survive the year"

"Your poor Aunt, Georgie told me about your other cousins"

"Arthur and Aldrich" He sighed again, rubbing his forehead. "Aunt Catherine does not know what to do. We all knew that Anne would die young, but Aunt Catherine refused to believe it. She tried everything to make her better, trips to Bathe, medicines from the Continent, doctors from all over the world"

"She is her only daughter, her only child, her little girl, she loves her," She pointed out. "I do not think I could ever accept a child's death"

"And with luck, we shall never have to." He whispered, squeezing into the tub behind her. She relaxed against this chest. "I have seen what it does to my mother and father, and to my aunt and uncle. It is a horrible, horrible ordeal"

"My family was lucky, we never once lost a child that I can recall. I remember Lady Lucas's youngest child, a beautiful little girl named Amy, she drowned as a child, and she was of an age with myself. It brought Charlotte and I closer. With your Aunt's child drowning, I do not think I shall allow the boys anywhere near a body of water"

"I shall teach them to swim as soon as they are able," He promised. "Until then, the pond is off limits"

"Speaking of off limits" She whispered, turning herself so that she now straddled his waist, "The physicians time limit has expired, and I do dearly miss my loving husband" She placed wet kisses along his collarbone. She felt a hardness growing between them. She smirked. "You waste no time, my love," She whispered, kissing up his neck.

"I've waited three months, and then some" He replied, catching her lips on their ascent.

"We shall have to reward you for your patience" He picked her up from the water in one clean swoop. She locked her legs around his waist as he carefully got out of the tub.

"But you are not clean yet" She protested.

"I'll bathe later" He panted against her neck. She laughed, wild and without abandon.

An hour later they found themselves taking a rather chilly bathe, quickly washing each others backed and fronts. Lizzy hastily dressed in her dinner gown, thankful she had washed her hair before he had joined her, while he struggled to dry his own curly locks with a towel.

"We are going to be late," She whispered, kissing his lips once more.

"We are ready, let us go" He all but dragged her from the room, silly smiles on both of their faces.

Lady Catherine was descending the steps with Georgiana as they approached.

"Ah, William, Mrs. Darcy, there you are" Lady Catherine smiled thinly.

"Please, Lady Catherine, call me Elizabeth, or Lizzy," She told her with a small smile.

"Elizabeth it is, you may call me Aunt, or Aunt Catherine"

"Thank you, Aunt" She replied. "What a beautiful necklace that is"

Lady Catherine went off on an explanation of her choker; it had belonged to the previous Lady DeBourgh.

They enjoyed all the courses in relative silence. Lady Catherine was uncharacteristically silent based on her husband and sister's faces. Lizzy ate the delicious, albeit foreign food happily. Lady Catherine did ask a few questions, mainly about the boys, and then some of her family.

"I have four sisters, Aunt," She told her. "Two are married now, and two remain at home"

"And the married ones, are the older then you?"

"I am the second eldest. My elder sister, Jane, was recently wed to Mr. Charles Bingley, William's dear friend. My youngest sister married an army soldier a few months past"

"Your youngest married before the eldest?"

"Jane and I have always been very close as children. She did not want me to miss the wedding while I was in my confinement stage. She held off marrying for quite a few months to accommodate myself. My youngest had no such qualms."

"I understand that my parson, Mr. Collin's, is a relative of yours"

"Estranged relative, Aunt" William reminded her. "We do not wish to speak of the matter any further though"

"Well, I wish to atone for my behavior last fall when you wrote to me of his heinous behavior" She remarked loudly. "I apologize for not taking your note seriously. I did not believe that insipid man to dangerous. Several of my tenants have lodged complaints against him however, and I am loathe to underestimate him once again"

"He has behaved inappropriately to other women, Aunt?" Her husband asked, rising from the table.

"William sit down," Lady Catherine demanded. "I have ulterior motives to having you here. Not only did I miss your presence at Easter, but also Anne is not well, and neither am I. I have no heirs, and therefore I need your help bestowing my wealth, estate, townhouse and all of my other possessions to your cousin, Richard"

"The Colonel?" Georgiana asked.

"Yes, the Colonel" Aunt Catherine amended. "He is the only one without in this family, and I believe that he deserves a little something"

"Your fortune and estate are not a little something" Will pointed out.

"I have faith that you will guide him"

"Of course I will, Richard is like a brother"

"Good, then that is settled. My next motive was removing Mr. Collins from the parsonage"

"What of his family?" Lizzy asked before she could stop herself. "Of his wife, Charlotte, and their child"

"I feel terrible kicking them out, but I believe that Mrs. Collins will follow him wherever he goes" Lady Catherine said sadly, "The foolish woman"

"I will remove him on the morrow. Lizzy, dear, perhaps Charlotte will have tea with you, if that is amendable, Aunt?"

"Of course, I will send a maid to invite her right away"

"William, I need to speak to him before he leaves, I need to confront this" She reminded him as they lay in their bed later that night

"And you will, dear, but I will be there with you. You should try to talk Charlotte into leaving him, returning home"

"She won't believe me"

"She might," He whispered, pulling her closer. "Sleep now Lizzy, tomorrow will come soon enough"

That night she dreamt horrible dreams. Mr. Collins was chasing her once again, screaming and cursing, threatening her family. She got to a pond; he was there with two identical little boys. One had green eyes where the other had blue. A sickly looking woman floated in the pond, her white gown sticking to her.

"Say goodbye, cousin" Mr. Collins called. He threw one of the boys into the pond. The little thing struggled, and struggled, but eventually he went under. She tried to scream, to run, but she couldn't.

"He's next" He picked up the other boy, who kicked and fought, and he went into the pond as well. They both drowned as she watched.

She awoke in tears, her husband holding her tight.

"I couldn't say them," She wailed. "They drowned, he killed them"

"Ssh, ssh, it's okay, Lizzy, they are both okay" He rubbed her back, and clutched her shaking frame closer.

"He threw them into the pond, they couldn't swim" She sobbed.

"Will and Ben are sleeping peacefully a few rooms down, I promise you. Do you wish to see them?" He asked. She nodded against him. He stood from the bed and helped her into a dressing gown. They walked quietly to the nursery, easing the door open as silently as they could.

"See, they are both okay" He whispered. William slept with his thumb in his mouth, and Bennet had a hand tossed over his face. Both slept peacefully, their breathing deep and even, little noises escaping them every couple of minutes.

"I'm; sorry" She whispered. He drew her in closer to his body, kissing the top of her head.

"It is not your fault, Lizzy" He assured her.

"I need this to stop, William," She told him, looking up. He was looking as her with a sad smile on his face.

"I know, dear, I just wish you did not need to see him to find this closure"

"I need him to see that he was wrong, that he did not ruin me. I need him to see that our marriage is one filled with loved, and respect. I need him to see our healthy, happy little boys, and I need to see that Charlotte is unharmed,"

"You need rest now, though,"

"Can we stay here?" She asked, gesturing to the small cot in the corner of the nursery.

"Of course" He pulled her with him, down onto the cot. It was a tight squeeze, but with his arms around her, and her boys within her line of vision, she fell back to sleep, dreams no longer haunting her.


End file.
